Saving the light
by TeamDobby
Summary: After the attack on Arthur Weasley, three books appear at Grimmauld Place... and of course everyone decides to read them. Starts book 5! Cowrittten ft. TalksToMirrors!
1. Chapter 1

The sun was beating down on Grimmauld place, bathing the murky street in sunlight. The usually silent neighbourhood was uncharacteristically bursting with life. Everyone seemed to be happy, and nothing was wrong with the world.

Except one house. But as no muggle was able to see house number twelve, no one noticed anything amiss.

Inside said house, where no sun light could penetrate the thick velvet curtains, two tall figures were moving around a messy room, shuffling parchment and old quills, and just generally trying to clear some of the clutter.

"Tell me again, why we can't do this with magic?" came Sirius Black's voice from behind one particularly big stack of parchment at the end of the long wooden table.

"You know that Dumbledore has about a dozen of spells on every one of these, and the slightest charm would set the alarms off, and everything would shrivel up. And as you also know we need all the information on these scraps of parchment." Remus Lupin sighed, as he yet again repeated the same answer for the hundredth time.

They had been given the _mission_ to clear out a room for the order to have their meetings. The kitchen would not do anymore, as the children were home from Hogwarts for the winter holidays. And of course Dumbledore deemed it fit for them to also organize all the information and plans so that the meeting could go on easier.

Remus had lost count on how many floor plans he had picked up, and didn't want to confess how many scraps of hangman he had crumpled and thrown away. Yes, the meetings were boring some times. They worked on in silence, only the rustling of parchment and muttered curses from behind the stack at the end of the table could be heard.

The house was unnaturally quiet, and Remus wondered what Harry, Ron and Hermione were doing to keep themselves entertained. Harry had been even quieter lately, and Remus feared that the events from a week ago were still pressing on his mind. That kid had more bad things happen to him than he deserved. Hopefully Hermione and Ron would be able to distract him.

The rest of the red-headed family was at St. Mungos, visiting Arthur. And from what Molly had said, it was quite possible that Mr. Weasley would be released. Maybe that would cheer Harry up.

Sirius was also worried about his godson. Harry had barely said anything to anyone since that night and Arthur's attack. He always sneaked off somewhere on his own, and Sirius didn't like it. He didn't want his godson to wallow in his thoughts, because he knew Harry, and he was probably blaming himself for everything as usual.

They were almost finished and Sirius was thanking the gods that he would now be able to go and coax Harry out of hiding and maybe feed the scrawny twig something. He knew that Harry didn't like people to fawn over him, but was it really necessary to starve himself. Sirius sighed. Of course he knew that Harry wasn't starving himself, but still.

"Sirius? Are you nearly finishe-" Remus broke off suddenly and Sirius looked up from the parchment he had been reading. The golden flash that suddenly filled the room blinded both of them for a minute, and they were both scrambling around blindly for their wands, knocking down the piles of parchment that they had finished sorting.

"Remus! Are you there?" Sirius was frantically stumbling around the room, pressing his palms into his eyes trying to rid them of the yellow dots obscuring his vision.

"Sirius… where did those books come from?" Remus was standing frozen with his wand pointed at the pile of completely innocent looking books on the table. He reached out to steady Sirius when the prat ran into an over turned chair, and almost fell flat on his face.

"Books? What books… where did those come from?" Sirius was now also pointing his wand at the pile on the table, suspiciously studying the room around him, which was once again quite the mess.

"Remus, this will take forever! And look, those books appeared and nothing happened to the crap in here. Maybe Dumbledore's spells wore off, all that work for nothing!" Remus ignored Sirius's whining and slowly moved closer to the table, reaching for the book lying on top of the pile. But he didn't get very far before once again there was a flash of golden light. When they were able to see again, the room was spotless and the only thing left on the table was the three books.

Remus hesitated slightly before picking up one of them. He turned it over and nearly dropped the book in shock.

'**Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'** he quickly turned over the first pages, his eyes widening with every word he read, and then moving to the remaining two books on the table.

"Sirius, these books… are our future" Sirius gaped at him before reaching for one of the other ones. But as soon as he touched it, a golden lock appeared on it. They could not open it.

"I think we have to read the first one before we can read these. Come on, we need to find everyone else!" Remus hurried after Sirius into the hallway, almost running straight into Hermione. Dumbledore steadied both of them before they could fall.

"So sorry Hermione, I wasn't watching where I was going" Hermione smiled at him before reaching down and helping him get Sirius off the floor, he had not been as lucky, and had run straight at Snape, who was also lying spread eagle, his robes in his face. Ron was off to the side, biting his fist to try to keep from laughing, and Dumbledore looked suspiciously cheerful.

"Black! What do you think you are doing? The least an idiot like you could do is watch were you're going!" Snape fumbled with his robes for a while before standing up, dusting off his trousers, sneering at all of them.

Sirius wasn't paying attention at all; he was peering around the hallway.

"Ron, where's Harry?" Ron sighed heavily, shrugging his shoulders before glancing at Hermione.

"We haven't seen him. We hoped he was with you, but seems like he's off somewhere alone again"

"Something odd happened and we need to find hi-"

"Odd?" Dumbledore inquired lightly, watching Sirius closely.

"Yeah, three books appeared from nowhere, and they are about our future. Or that's what we think at least, we couldn't open two of them" everyone was watching them quite incredulously now; even Snape had lost some of the sneer.

"What were the books called?"

"Well the first one was **'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' **the second one witch we couldn't open is **'Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince'**" Snape made some kind of choking sound, his eyes fixed intently on the book in Remus's hand, no one but Dumbledore seemed to notice. "And the last one is **'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'**" Now it was Dumbledore's turn to peer at the books closely.

"Should we read them?" Hermione was watching the professors around her, noting every little change in their expressions, and somehow, even as it seemed so absurd, she believed these books to really tell their future.

"Well I can't hurt, can it? But we really need to find Harry; these books seem to be from his point of view"

"The brats point of view? I will not be reading anything Potter-"Dumbledore silenced Snape with a look.

"Severus, this book will be the next order meeting, you are compelled to join us" Dumbledore knew that this was the only thing that would make Snape come. He needed an excuse for staying so his heartless demeanour could be prevailed, he really did hate Harry, but he wanted the war to end just like everyone else.

"Of course, sir" Snape nodded grudgingly.

"But we have no idea where Harry is! He could be anywhere" Sirius shook his head.

"No, I think I know where he is. You go on to the meeting room, I'll go get him" Hermione and Ron glanced at each other before nodding.

Sirius bounded up the stairs, not bothering to check the rooms he was running past. He only knew one room where Harry would want to be. And sure enough when he opened the door to his mother's old room, there his godson was, sitting on the floor petting Buckbeak's feathers. Sirius watched him for some time, not really knowing what he should say.

"Harry?" Harry jerked around to face him, and Buckbeak emitted a startled sound when his head was suddenly dropped to the ground. Harry quickly turned to sooth him, and Sirius watched on quite amazed at the response his godson awoke in the animal.

"Harry, something came up and we need you to come downstairs for a bit" Harry looked really panicked, obviously dreading any bad news. Who would it be this time? Maybe Mr. Weasley had gotten worse or someone else had gotten killed. Someone always had to die, didn't they? Harry was up from the floor before Sirius had a chance to explain more, but Sirius stopped him with a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Calm down Harry, it's nothing like that. We just need to talk" Harry was watching him suspiciously, but followed after him down the stairs without protest. They stepped into the room where everyone was gathered, and Harry was watching them all closely.

"What's… going on? You guys are acting weird" Snape glared at the boy but refrained from commenting. Too many highly volatile persons in one room, he didn't feel like getting ganged up on at the moment.

"Well Harry, Remus and I were cleaning-" Harry looked at Sirius in disbelieve, but Sirius just rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, shut up. Like I said we were cleaning but then we found some books-"

"Books? What's the big deal?" Harry was completely bewildered right now. Books.

"If you would bother to listen, I'm sure the dog would explain" Harry could feel his cheeks colouring, but looked Snape defiantly in the eyes, glowering. He was not in the mood. Sirius threw Snape a disgusted look before turning back to Harry, softening his gaze.

"Harry, we think that these books are from the future… about your future" The room was silent, as everyone had tensed up waiting for Harry's reaction.

"My future. These books are about Voldemort then?" Hermione and Ron glanced worriedly at each other hearing the dispassionate tone in Harry's voice. This wasn't like him at all. The attack had really taken its toll on him.

Sirius and Remus shared a similar look, before both turning back to Harry who seemed to have zoned out completely.

"We are going read them, and we think you should also be here, as they seem to be your thoughts Harry" Sirius stared at his quite horrified looking godson.

"M-my thoughts?" Harry was going trough all the stuff that would be revealed, all the secrets he had been keeping the whole year. Umbridge, his dreams… okay visions, scar hurting, the possibilities were endless. And now everything would be revealed. Not even Ron and Hermione knew everything that was going on inside of his head.

"Well I guess that it couldn't… hurt?" Hermione pounced on the chance and quickly dragged Harry to sit down round the table besides her and Ron. Harry just followed quite bewildered still, only nodding slightly at Ron when he smiled reassuringly at him.

"Where are the rest?" Harry finally seemed to notice that Ron was the only red-headed person in the room.

"Oh, they're at St. Mungos, visiting dad. He might be released today" Harry's shoulders slumped slightly and he nodded at Ron before looking around the room.

"Well… I guess we should get started, who wants to read first?" Dumbledore had the book in his hands, and Harry paused for a second, still quite angry with the headmaster, who wasn't looking at him even now.

"I will. Settle down everyone. Here we go"

'**Dudley Demented' **


	2. Dudley Demented

**A/N** **Hi hope you like the chapter. And we are trying to post at least one chapter a week, and I hope that we are going to be able to keep it up. So there isn't much more to say than just read and we both appreciate your reviews!**

"Well… I guess we should get started, who wants to read first?" Dumbledore had the book in his hands, and Harry paused for a second, still quite angry with the headmaster, who wasn't looking at him even now.

"I will. Settle down everyone. Here we go"

'**Dudley Demented'**

"What does that mean? I thought your _cousin's_ name was Dudley?" Ron asked, where was this book starting? He thought it would be about Harry and Hogwarts.

"It's probably the dementor attack; you know my cousin was there!" Harry was still annoyed about the fact that they would be reading his thoughts; all his secrets and personal things would be out in the open. Things that were secret for a reason.

**The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive. Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in their drives and lawns that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing; the use of hosepipes had been banned due to drought. Deprived of their usual car-washing and lawn-mowing pursuits, the inhabitants of Privet Drive had retreated into the shade of their cool houses, windows thrown wide in the hope of tempting in a nonexistent breeze. **

"Who would want to live in a place like that? Sounds dead boring to me!" Hermione threw Ron a scathing look before pinching his arm. Harry didn't mind though, anything that would take his mind of the Dursley's were a good thing. And it was boring, more so than they could imagine. He hoped they wouldn't be in the book at all.

**The only person left outdoors was a teenage boy who was lying flat on his back in a flowerbed outside number four.**

"Is that you?" Sirius looked inquiringly at his godson who was resolutely not meeting anyone's eyes. Sirius was actually really excited about these books; he would finally get to know what his godson was doing at school. Would he be like James and Sirius, always in trouble for pranks and jokes? Remus was too smart to get caught. Or would he be more like Lily who despised unnecessary trouble and had never been in a detention, well a detention she had earned.

"Yeah" Harry answered reluctantly not looking up. He was not happy about this. It looked like the Dursley's would be mentioned and Harry really didn't look forward to it.

**He was a skinny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who had the pinched, slightly unhealthy look of someone who has grown a lot in a short space of time.**

"Oi, who comes up with these descriptions? I don't look like that!" Harry huffed, crossing his arms indignantly. The others glanced at each other, before Sirius and Ron both snorted.

"Well Harry, hate to break it to you, but… well you are rather scrawny" Harry rolled his eyes, scowling at Sirius who was laughing besides Remus who was obviously trying to hold in his own chuckles. He turned to Hermione and pouted, she just rolled her eyes.

"It wouldn't kill you to eat more Harry" he huffed again, before motioning for Dumbledore to continue reading, ignoring the irritated looking potions professor purposefully.

**His jeans were torn and dirty, his T-shirt baggy and faded, and the soles of his trainers were peeling away from the uppers. **

"Why are you wearing that?" Harry sighed, annoyed at all the interruptions. He would really like to get this over with; he didn't like to think of the Dursley's more than he had to.

"It's the only clothes that I got" Remus frowned, and exchanged apprehensive looks with Sirius.

**Harry Potter's appearance did not endear him to the neighbours, who were the sort of people who thought scruffiness ought to be punishable by law, but as he had hidden himself behind a large hydrangea bush this evening he was quite invisible to passers-by. In fact, the only way he would be spotted was if his Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia stuck their heads out of the living-room window and looked straight down into the flowerbed below.**

"What are you doing?" Ron couldn't understand what Harry was up to, who spent their day hidden in a flower bed?

"It's probably explained later" Ron didn't press for more information when he noticed how tense Harry was looking. Hopefully he wouldn't blow up again.

**On the whole, Harry thought he was to be congratulated on his idea of hiding here. **

"CONGRATS!" They all whirled around to face the door where Fred and George were standing, grinning at them all.

"Thanks" Harry snorted, amused despite himself.

"What's going on? And why weren't we invited?" No one had time to answer them before they were suddenly pushed aside by Mrs. Weasley who was leading a tired but healthy looking Mr. Weasley. Remus and Sirius both jumped out of their seats giving Mr. Weasley somewhere to sit. He smiled gratefully to them, before nodding to Dumbledore and Snape.

"Well, is someone going to answer?" Fred sat down in the small couch Sirius had conjured for him, George and Ginny who had arrived behind their mother and father. She smiled at everyone before sitting down confusedly besides George.

"We found some books, from the future and decided to read them" their eyes widened and they looked incredulously at them.

"Are you sure? That sounds pretty unlikely, Albus" Mrs. Weasley was looking at Dumbledore, hoping for some sort of confirmation. When he nodded calmly, smiling reassuringly she sat down besides her husband in the chair that Remus had previously sat in.

"Are you alright Arthur? Shouldn't you be resting?" Remus inquired politely, after sitting down besides Sirius in a new chair.

"I'm perfect, a good night of sleep and I'll be as good as new. It's not too much to sit here, and I imagine this is going to be very important" Mrs. Weasley was looking at her husband worriedly, and opened her mouth to maybe protest and make him go to bed, but she didn't get very far before he stopped her.

"I really am fine, dear. Don't worry about me" he waved his hand at Dumbledore who smiled and nodded before continuing.

"If everyone is comfortable? Good"

**He was not, perhaps, very comfortable lying on the hot, hard earth but, on the other hand, nobody was glaring at him, grinding their teeth so loudly that he could not hear the news, or shooting nasty questions at him, as had happened every time he had tried sitting down in the living room to watch television with his aunt and uncle.**

Sirius and Remus exchanged glances over Harry's head, this didn't sound like the good home Dumbledore had told them about at the end of third year.

**Almost as though this thought had fluttered through the open window, Vernon Dursley, Harry's uncle, suddenly spoke.**

"**Glad to see the boy's stopped trying to butt in. Where is he, anyway?"**

"**I don't know," said Aunt Petunia, unconcerned. "Not in the house."**

"They seem so worried" Fred joked, but no one was really paying attention. They were all too caught up in the book. George rolled his eyes at his twin, silently telling him he would have to do better than that.

**Uncle Vernon grunted.**

"**Watching the news…" he said scathingly. "I'd like to know what he's really up to. As if a normal boy cares what's on the news - Dudley hasn't got a clue what's going on; doubt he knows who the Prime Minister is!**

"And how is that a good thing?" Hermione had been quiet so far, silently fuming at everything they had read so far. Harry had never talked about his relatives, and it seemed like they would get to know why. She had always known them to be fairly unpleasant, but this was not what she had imagined.

**Anyway, it's not as if there'd be anything about his lot on our news–"**

"His lot? What's that supposed to mean?" Ron burst out, he really couldn't stand hearing about Harry's relatives, and he couldn't imagine what Harry was feeling. He glanced over at his best friend, who was looking down at his lap, but Ron noticed the clenched fists, and nudged Hermione. He motioned with is head for her to look at Harry, and she glanced over his shoulder over at him. She looked back at Ron looking worried.

"What's up with him?" She whispered quietly, making sure Harry wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Who would like their thoughts being read aloud to everyone? Think of all the secrets that will be revealed. My mum will kill me!" She smiled before glancing back at Harry, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up quizzically, frowning at her when she didn't say anything.

"Are you alright?" he nodded, and turned away. She frowned at his back, before withdrawing her hand back. Something was definitely wrong.

"**Vernon, shh!" said Aunt Petunia. "The window's open!"**

"**Oh - yes - sorry, dear."**

"Well, it's quite obvious who runs that house!" George said cheerily ignoring the dark look his mother sent him. He glanced over at Harry, and frowned. What was up with him? He nudged his twin lightly with his elbow. Fred almost doubled over and George snickered. Maybe not so lightly then.

"What?" Fred hissed accusingly at him, clutching his stomach. George looked pointedly at Harry before glancing back at Fred.

"What crawled up his arse and died?" George shrugged and turned back to watch the room. How come everyone seemed so tense all of sudden.

Snape was sneering at the mention of Petunia, or Tuney as Lily used to call her. Never changed did she? But he really couldn't understand why the boy was to tense. This seemed like something the spoiled brat would enjoy, everyone focused on him, him, him. Just like his father. The little brat, eavesdropping on his relatives and running around getting into trouble, probably terrorizing his cousin.

**The Dursleys fell silent. Harry listened to a jingle about Fruit 'n' Bran breakfast cereal while he watched Mrs. Figg, a batty cat-loving old lady from nearby Wisteria Walk, amble slowly past. She was frowning and muttering to herself.**

**Harry was very pleased he was concealed behind the bush, as Mrs. Figg had recently taken to asking him around for tea whenever she met him in the street. She had rounded the corner and vanished from view before Uncle Vernon's voice floated out of the window again.**

"She was just checking on you" Sirius said who had also noticed how tense his godson looked.

"I know" Harry snapped, and he frowned over at Remus, who shrugged helplessly. Why was Harry acting this way? He never used to be so short with people before.

"**Dudders out for tea?"**

"**At the Polkisses'," said Aunt Petunia fondly. "He's got so many little friends, he's so popular."**

Harry couldn't stop his snort. Dudley didn't have friends; they just liked helping him beat the crap out of people. And Dudley was usually the one who provided the good stuff.

They all looked at him curiously. Harry shrugged.

"It's nothing really"

**Harry suppressed a snort with difficulty. **

"Well good to see that you haven't changed too much!" Harry rolled his eyes, but was secretly thankful that the twins were there; maybe they could distract everyone when needed.

**The Dursleys really were astonishingly stupid about their son, Dudley. They had swallowed all his dim-witted lies about having tea with a different member of his gang every night of the summer holidays. Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley had not been to tea anywhere; he and his gang spent every evening vandalizing the play park, smoking on street corners and throwing stones at passing cars and children.**

"How can they stand for that sort of behaviour? What a horrid child!" Mrs. Weasley burst out, looking quite incredulous. Her children would never get away with that sort of behaviour and they knew it.

All the Weasley children inched a bit further away from their mother, and Arthur just chuckled at the fearful faces of his kids.

Snape on the other hand was feeling like his world was slowly falling apart, and things that he knew true… weren't! This was all a lie, a lie!

**Harry had seen them at it during his evening walks around Little Whinging; he had spent most of the holidays wandering the streets, scavenging newspapers from bins along the way.**

"Why would you do that?" Ginny asked. Harry shrugged unhelpfully.

"It's probably in there" he really didn't want to explain all this stuff to them; it was bad enough that they were reading it.

**The opening notes of the music that heralded the seven o'clock news reached Harry's ears and his stomach turned over. Perhaps tonight - after a month of waiting - would be the night.**

"The night for what?" Remus was wondering at how much everything had seemed to affect Harry that summer. Was it just normal teenage angst or had Dumbledore really been mistaken in keeping Harry there for so long?

"Voldemort" Harry answered simply, ignoring the people who flinched. They really should get over it. Dumbledore had one thing right at least, you shouldn't fear a name.

"**Record numbers of stranded holiday makers fill air ports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week –"**

"Maybe not what you were looking for, I don't think that You-Know-Who enjoys stranding muggles in foreign countries" Harry snorted and shook his head.

"Nah Fred, it's my deepest fear!" Harry rolled his eyes, ignoring the amused looks he was getting. He had a feeling he would enjoy the twins jokes much more after he got away from the Dursley's.

"**Give 'em a lifelong siesta, I would," snarled Uncle Vernon over the end of the newsreader's sentence, but no matter: outside in the flowerbed, Harry's stomach seemed to unclench. If anything had happened, it would surely have been the first item on the news; death and destruction were more important than stranded holidaymakers.**

**He let out a long, slow breath and stared up at the brilliant blue sky. Every day this summer had been the same: the tension, the expectation, the temporary relief, and then mounting tension again… and always, growing more insistent all the time, the question of why nothing had happened yet.**

"He's biding his time, finding more death eaters, and he doesn't want the world to know that he is back-" Remus started explaining, but was cut off by Harry before he really could get into stride.

"I know that now! You could have been that open about it a couple of months ago!" Sirius rubbed his hand over the faint scars on his hand. Yeah, maybe they shouldn't have tried to keep Harry in the dark. But it had been Dumbledore's orders…

**He kept listening, just in case there was some small clue, not recognized for what it really was by the Muggles - an unexplained disappearance, perhaps, or some strange accident… but the baggage-handlers' strike was followed by news about the drought in the Southeast ("I hope he's listening next door!" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "Him with his sprinklers on at three in the morning!"),**

"Like you didn't do the same thing!" Ginny scowled at the book. What an idiot! How did Harry stand him?

"Actually he didn't do it, he made me get up at three to put them on" Harry muttered to himself, not realizing that everyone could hear him.

"What?" they were all quiet looking at him rather expectantly, like waiting for some kind of explanation, but explanation to what?

"Nothing" Ron sighed, not really wanting to confront him now.

**then a helicopter that had almost crashed in a field in Surrey, then a famous actress's divorce from her famous husband ("As if we're interested in their sordid affairs," sniffed Aunt Petunia, who had followed the case obsessively in every magazine she could lay her bony hands on).**

Snape and Harry snorted at the same time, and then looked wide eyed at each other across the room. Dumbledore chuckled to himself as Severus snarled and Harry glowered, before they seemed to come to an understanding to never speak of it again. Sirius and Remus gave each other incredulous looks.

**Harry closed his eyes against the now blazing evening sky as the newsreader said, "-and finally, Bungy the budgie has found a novel way of keeping cool this summer. Bungy, who lives at the Five Feathers in Barnsley, has learned to water ski! Mary Dorkins went to find out more."**

**Harry opened his eyes. If they had reached water-skiing budgerigars, there would be nothing else worth hearing. He rolled cautiously on to his front and raised himself on to his knees and elbows, preparing to crawl out from under the window. He had moved about two inches when several things happened in very quick succession.**

**A loud, echoing crack broke the sleepy silence like a gunshot; a cat streaked out from under a parked car and flew out of sight; a shriek, a bellowed oath and the sound of breaking china came from the Dursleys' living room, and as though this was the signal Harry had been waiting for he jumped to his feet, at the same time pulling from the waistband of his jeans a thin wooden wand as if he were unsheathing a sword **

"That's some good reflexes you got pup! No wonder you fly so good" Harry flushed slightly at the compliment before smiling faintly.

**- but before he could draw himself up to full height, the top of his head collided with the Dursleys' open window.**

"Well it was a good start." Fred and George laughed while Ron snickered. Hermione just rolled her eyes at their antics, before ducking the pillow that Harry had chucked Ron's way. It hit its mark, making Ron almost go sprawling on the floor. He barely managed to stay upright by grabbing her arm.

"Oi, what was that for?" Harry just smirked, brandishing another pillow in his hand, aiming it unspeakably at Ron's lap. Ron paled and quickly held his hands up in defeat. Harry slowly lowered the pillow, but then suddenly chucked it at Fred's head.

"Well I guess I deserved that one" Fred said desolately, playfully wiping at tear from his eye.

**The resultant crash made Aunt Petunia scream even louder.**

**Harry felt as though his head had been split in two. **

"Ouch mate, that must have really hurt. Are you okay?" George asked, smiling innocently at Harry, who was out of pillows by now. Harry searched around himself for something to throw, but when he didn't find anything settled down to scowl at the snickering George and Fred.

The rest of the room was watching amusedly as Harry sulked and Fred and George high-fived each other over Ginny's head.

**Eyes streaming, he swayed, trying to focus on the street to spot the source of the noise, but he had barely staggered upright when two large purple hands reached through the open window and closed tightly around his throat.**

All the humour in the room vanished and there was a horrified silence before Sirius slowly turned to Harry, who was white as ghost and looking at his shoes intently.

"He is… choking you" Harry shrugged, hand absently massaging his throat. That little careless gesture seemed to set everyone off. Molly was crying into Mr. Weasley's shoulder, who had previously stopped her from going to Harry. The boy looked edgy enough already, they needed to give him some time.

George, Fred and Ginny were all telling everyone loudly what they would like to do about those filthy people, who evidently weren't going to be alive for very long. Sirius was swearing loudly, and Remus had closed his eyes trying to control himself. Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry quietly, horrified at what had just happened. Why hadn't Harry ever told them anything? Hermione reached forward to maybe hug Harry or something, but Ron held her back, indicating Harry's tense frame. He didn't want to talk about it. They would have to wait.

"WHAT does that bloody walrus think he's doing? Choking my godson! Why didn't you tell anyone? Are you okay?" Sirius was this close to jumping out of his chair and strangling someone himself, but he needed to stay calm for his godson, who still hadn't answered.

"It was nothing. I was fine, I'm used to it" Sirius eyes widened in shock before he rounded on Dumbledore.

"What were you thinking putting him there? You told Remus and me that it was a good home, that he was safe there! He will not be going there again!" Harry watched with wide eyes as his godfather yelled at Dumbledore who looked quite forlorn and old. And if something that only made Harry even angrier at the headmaster. What right did he have to be sad when it was he who forced him there time and time again?

"Sirius, I understand your concern and I'll personally go talk to them, but Harry needs to go back until he's seventeen. It's the safest place from Voldemort" The tiny swell of hope that had grown in Harry when Sirius said he wasn't going back, popped and was replaced with a dejected emptiness. Of course he wouldn't get off that easily. And Harry really wished they wouldn't _talk _to them, it would only make matters worse. Uncle Vernon acted out in fear, and Harry would probably have to pay the prise later. But it seemed like Sirius was not as easy to convince.

"No. I am his godfather and I will not let him go back there to those monsters! We can protect any other place just as well, and he'll never be alone."

"But the blood wards are the safest-"

"Yeah? Good job they've done keeping him safe from the outside, but what about inside the house? Huh, never thought of that, did you? Dementor's on one side and abusive bastards on the other-"

"I'm not abused" Remus shook his head. They would really have to talk to Harry, if the boy thought that someone choking him wasn't abuse, Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Harry did think was abuse. He was so angry at himself for not trying to take Harry away from there when he was younger, or at least visit him. He hated himself for the fact that the first time he had seen Harry was thirteen years later, a stranger. He looked so much like James, but now that he thought about it, he always had seemed so very thin. Had they starved him too?

"We'll talk later Harry, Sirius" Sirius glared at Dumbledore as he sat down, before reaching for his godson and bringing him closer, swinging his arm over the thin shoulders, hugging the scrawny teen to his side. Harry stiffened at first but then slowly relaxed into the comforting warmth his godfather provided.

All the while this was happening, one very angry and confused potions professor observed the reactions around him, noting how no one had seemed to know, or even suspect that such a thing would be the norm at number four Privet Drive. He looked to his old all-knowing mentor, who wasn't supposed to make mistakes. What would Lily say if she knew her son had grew up with those bastard muggles, Lily's own sister? Even as he didn't want to admit it to himself, Severus felt a twinge off sympathy and pity for the boy, who was more like Severus than he had ever thought.

"**Put - it-away!" Uncle Vernon snarled into Harry's ear. "Now! Before- anyone - sees!"**

"**Get - off - me!" Harry gasped. For a few seconds they struggled, Harry pulling at his uncles sausage-like fingers with his left hand, **

Sirius had been gritting his teeth, hearing his godson being strangled, and he was sitting helplessly, and it was only the fact that Harry was leaning on him that prevented him from first yelling at Dumbledore a bit more, and then go find the Dursley's and destroy them, slowly. He didn't think he would be the only one.

**his right maintaining a firm grip on his raised wand; then, as the pain in the top of Harry's head gave a particularly nasty throb, Uncle Vernon yelped and released Harry as though he had received an electric shock. Some invisible force seemed to have surged through his nephew, making him impossible to hold.**

"Accidental magic? I thought that was supposed to stop once you go to school?" Hermione had decided to try and act as normal as possible, and talk to Harry later with Ron, somewhere more private.

"In extreme situations young wizards could theoretically, in a very emotional state lash out with accidental magic" Dumbledore explained gravely, at Hermione who nodded and glanced at Harry biting her lip worriedly.

**Panting, Harry fell forwards over the hydrangea bush, straightened up and stared around. There was no sign of what had caused the loud cracking noise, but there were several faces peering through various nearby windows. Harry stuffed his wand hastily back into his jeans and tried to look innocent.**

"Good luck with that mate, your innocent face sucks!" Harry rolled his eyes, but didn't make any move of moving from Sirius's side. Ron exchanged glanced with the twins, who were still fuming like the rest of the room, and they silently agreed to leave Harry alone, at least for a while.

"**Lovely evening!" shouted Uncle Vernon, waving at Mrs. Number Seven, who was glaring from behind her net curtains. "Did you hear that car backfire just now? Gave Petunia and me quite a turn!"**

"Does he really think anyone believed that?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah" Harry shrugged. His uncle wasn't the fastest broom in the shed by far.

**He continued to grin in a horrible, manic way until all the curious neighbours had disappeared from their various windows, then the grin became a grimace of rage as he beckoned Harry back towards him. Harry moved a few steps closer, taking care to stop just short of the point at which Uncle Vernon's outstretched hands could resume their strangling.**

"Good pup, don't let that bastard do anything to you" Sirius said quietly to Harry, squeezing him a little closer. Harry sighed into his godfathers shoulder. Why did they all have to read this? Couldn't they just skip it?

"**What the devil do you mean by it, boy?" asked Uncle Vernon in a croaky voice that trembled with fury.**

"**What do I mean by what?" said Harry coldly. He kept looking left and right up the street, still hoping to see the person who had made the cracking noise.**

"It was Mundungus Fletcher, and he Dissapparated, so you wouldn't have be able to see anyone"

"Yes, Fred. I know that _now" _

"Oh, right"

"**Making a racket like a starting pistol right outside our –"**

"What's a pistol?" Ron asked confusedly. Mr. Weasley who had been comforting Molly still, looked up, ready to explain it to his son, but Hermione beat him to it.

"It's a kind of weapon, really dangerous to muggles"

Ron didn't really look like he got it, but let it go.

"**I didn't make that noise," said Harry firmly.**

**Aunt Petunia's thin, horsy face now appeared beside Uncle Vernon's wide, purple one. She looked livid.**

"Well, maybe these descriptions weren't so inaccurate after all" Harry muttered so quietly only Sirius, Ron and Hermione could hear him. Ron snorted and Hermione smiled. Sirius just hugged him tighter.

"**Why were you lurking under our window?"**

"**Yes - yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our window, boy?"**

"**Listening to the news," said Harry in a resigned voice.**

**His aunt and uncle exchanged looks of outrage.**

"**Listening to the news! Again?"**

"**Well, it changes every day, you see," said Harry.**

"Goon one pup! Give 'em what they deserve!"

"**Don't you be clever with me, boy! I want to know what you're really up to - and don't give me any more of this listening to the news tosh! You know perfectly well that your lot -"**

"**Careful, Vernon!" breathed Aunt Petunia, and Uncle Vernon lowered his voice so that Harry could barely hear him, "-that your lot don't get on our news!"**

"**That's all you know," said Harry.**

**The Dursleys goggled at him for a few seconds, then Aunt Petunia said, "You're a nasty little liar. What are all those -" she, too, lowered her voice so that Harry had to lip-read the next word, "- owls doing if they're not bringing you news?"**

"**Aha!" said Uncle Vernon in a triumphant whisper. "Get out of that one, boy! As if we didn't know you get all your news from those pestilential birds!"**

**Harry hesitated for a moment. It cost him something to tell the truth this time, even though his aunt and uncle could not possibly know how bad he felt at admitting it.**

"We're sorry Harry. We should have-" Hermione started, but Harry cut her off.

"Don't apologize. We already talked it out, remember?" Ron snorted.

"Yeah, a bit hard to forget mate" Harry smiled sheepishly at them, and they smiled back. Happy to finally see him smiling again.

"**The owls… aren't bringing me news," he said tonelessly.**

"**I don't believe it," said Aunt Petunia at once.**

"**No more do I," said Uncle Vernon forcefully.**

"**We know you're up to something funny," said Aunt Petunia.**

"**We're not stupid, you know," said Uncle Vernon.**

"**Well, that's news to me," said Harry, **

"When did you-"

"Get so cheeky?" Fred and George asked, and Harry flushed slightly. He really couldn't help himself that summer, he had just been so angry all the time.

"We like it!" they exclaimed together, snickering to themselves.

"I think it's something you've got from your mother" Remus said thinking back on all the times James had irritated her enough to warrant himself a tongue lashing.

"My mum?"

"Yeah, she was really quite good at sounding innocent in front of teachers and then reproach James to the moon and back"

"Not that he wasn't already there; he mooned for Lily since first year!" Sirius chuckled sadly, watching as Harry listened intently to Remus tell some story or another. They would have to tell more to him later, after they talk.

**his temper rising, and before the Dursleys could call him back, he had wheeled about, crossed the front lawn, stepped over the low garden wall and was striding off up the street. He was in trouble now and he knew it. He would have to face his aunt and uncle later and pay the price for his rudeness, but he did not care very much just at the moment; he had much more pressing matters on his mind.**

"What would that price be?" Sirius could feel his anger rising again, and quickly tried to push it away. Later, hopefully when he was alone somewhere and he could take a quick detour to the Dursley's. Dumbledore would understand.

Harry shrugged, or as near to a shrug when Sirius was hugging his shoulders. Everyone let it go for now, not really knowing what to do.

**Harry was sure the cracking noise had been made by someone Apparating or Disapparating. It was exactly the sound Dobby the house-elf made when he vanished into thin air. Was it possible that Dobby was here in Privet Drive? Could Dobby be following him right at this very moment?**

"Who's Dobby?" Ginny asked. She had heard him mentioned before.

"He's a houself that I met in my second year" Harry explained.

"He sees Harry as some kind of master" Ron butted in, and Harry wrinkled his nose.

"No he doesn't"

"Master Harry Potter rings any bells?" Harry stuck his tongue out childishly. He would really have to get Dobby to stop saying that.

**As this thought occurred he wheeled around and stared back down Privet Drive, but it appeared to be completely deserted and Harry was sure that Dobby did not know how to become invisible.**

"Actually they do, but only if their master gives them special permission." Remus said, and Hermione listened intently. Ron rolled his eyes behind her back, and Harry snorted. She turned to them suspiciously and glared at their innocent smiles. Yeah right.

**He walked on, hardly aware of the route he was taking, for he had pounded these streets so often lately that his feet carried him to his favourite haunts automatically. Every few steps he glanced back over his shoulder. **

"Good always keep alert, even if right now you really didn't have to" Mr. Weasley said approvingly, once again making Harry flush.

**Someone magical had been near him as he lay among Aunt Petunia's dying begonias, he was sure of it. Why hadn't they spoken to him, why hadn't they made contact, why were they hiding now?**

**And then, as his feeling of frustration peaked, his certainty leaked away. Perhaps it hadn't been a magical sound after all. Perhaps he was so desperate for the tiniest sign of contact from the world to which he belonged that he was simply overreacting to perfectly ordinary noises. Could he be sure it hadn't been the sound of something breaking inside a neighbour's house?**

"You really should follow your instincts, they are usually right" Remus said, and Harry smiled at him.

**Harry felt a dull, sinking sensation in his stomach and before he knew it the feeling of hopelessness that had plagued him all summer rolled over him once again.**

"We really are sorry Harry for keeping you there for so long" Sirius said, quite guiltily.

"It's alright" Harry shrugged.

"No, it isn't. It's obviously bad to let you brood, equally as bad as Sirius. You start to get reckless" Remus said, ignoring the betrayed look on his friends face.

**Tomorrow morning he would be woken by the alarm at five o'clock so he could pay the owl that delivered the Daily Prophet - but was there any point continuing to take it? Harry merely glanced at the front page before throwing it aside these days; when the idiots who ran the paper finally realized that Voldemort was back it would be headline news, and that was the only kind Harry cared about.**

"Oh Harry, you really should have read the whole paper, or maybe it was a good thing you didn't" Ron nodded with Hermione. Merlin, if Harry would have known that too, they would probably not be alive anymore. Harry smiled sheepishly.

**If he was lucky, there would also be owls carrying letters from his best friends Ron and Hermione, though any expectation he'd had that their letters would bring him news had long since been dashed.**

"Sorry-"

"What did we say about apologizing about this?"

"Right, I just feel really bad"

**We can't say much about you-know-what, obviously… We've been told not to say anything important in case our letters go astray… We're quite busy but I can't give you details here… There's a fair amount going on, we'll tell you everything when we see you…**

"Well I'll admit. Those letters sucked" Ron said and Harry nodded.

"Yeah, they did"

**But when were they going to see him? Nobody seemed too bothered with a precise date.**

**Hermione had scribbled I expect we'll be seeing you quite soon inside his birthday card, but how soon was soon? As far as Harry could tell from the vague hints in their letters, Hermione and Ron were in the same place, presumably at Ron's parents' house.**

**He could hardly bear to think of the pair of them having fun at The Burrow when he was stuck in Privet Drive. In fact, he was so angry with them he had thrown away, unopened, the two boxes of Honeydukes chocolates they'd sent him for his birthday.**

"Harry, what did the chocolates ever do to you?" Fred asked looking scandalized.

"Wasted chocolate, perfectly good chocolate" Remus muttered.

"I was angry"

**He'd regretted it later, after the wilted salad Aunt Petunia had provided for dinner that night.**

"Wilted salad. Oh, Harry you are much too thin already!" Mrs. Weasley clucked disapprovingly, planning to herself fifth helpings and everything.

"Yes Harry, I quite agree. Last week I mistook you for my broom. You are like a twig, with a bush on top" Fred snickered with the other kids, but he was sadly the only one who got hit with a pillow.

"Shut it, Fred"

"How do you always know witch one I am?"

"Yeah, our mystique effect doesn't work as well if someone knows who's who!" George butted in.

Harry shrugged. "I don't really know. You just kind of feel like Fred"

"Well thanks mate, that cleared everything up"

"Glad I could help you" Ginny snickered, at the twins pouts.

**And what were Ron and Hermione busy with? Why wasn't he, Harry, busy? Hadn't he proved himself capable of handling much more than them? Had they all forgotten what he had done? Hadn't it been he who had entered that graveyard and watched Cedric being murdered, and been tied to that tombstone and nearly killed?**

"What really happened there, Harry? You never said anything about nearly being killed!"

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley burst out.

"Well I thought it was quite obvious, Voldemort was there you know" Ron winced and looked sheepishly at Harry.

"Right, I don't think I'll ask again. Sorry" Harry snorted and nodded at Ron reassuringly.

"No worries" Hermione glared at Ron, obviously telling him to have some more tact.

**Don't think about that, Harry told himself sternly for the hundredth time that summer. It was bad enough that he kept revisiting the graveyard in his nightmares, without dwelling on it in his waking moments too.**

"You never wrote about nightmares" Sirius said sadly, he didn't like to hear about how everything was affecting his godson.

"It wasn't really important"

"Yeah it is, Harry. I just wonder how we're going to get you to realize it too"

**He turned a corner into Magnolia Crescent; halfway along he passed the narrow alleyway down the side of a garage where he had first clapped eyes on his godfather. Sirius, at least, seemed to understand how Harry was feeling. Admittedly, his letters were just as empty of proper news as Ron and Hermione's, but at least they contained words of caution and consolation instead of tantalizing hints:**

**I know this must be frustrating for you… Keep your nose clean and everything will be okay… Be careful and don't do anything rash…**

Remus snorted, before bursting into laughter.

"What?" Sirius said indignantly, looking from Harry to Remus, who were both laughing.

"It's just-" Remus gasped out, trying to calm himself.

"You're telling someone to be careful" Sirius huffed, shoving Harry away from him playfully.

**Well, thought Harry, as he crossed Magnolia Crescent, turned into Magnolia Road and headed towards the darkening play park, he had (by and large) done as Sirius advised. He had at least resisted the temptation to tie his trunk to his broomstick and set off for The Burrow by himself.**

"Thank God, you didn't do that. It would have been a disaster!"

"Yeah, I know. Who knows what could have happened! I could have been captured, lost, otherwise hit by something-"

"Harry" Sirius moaned miserably. "Shut up"

**In fact, Harry thought his behaviour had been very good considering how frustrated and angry he felt at being stuck in Privet Drive so long, reduced to hiding in flowerbeds in the hope of hearing something that might point to what Lord Voldemort was doing. Nevertheless, it was quite galling to be told not to be rash by a man who had served twelve years in the wizard prison, Azkaban, escaped, attempted to commit the murder he had been convicted for in the first place, then gone on the run with a stolen Hippogriff.**

"Well, I suppose you have a point Remus, but still!" Harry snorted, and Sirius shoved him again, something that Harry was unprepared for and fell of his chair with a loud thud. Sirius's eyes widened and everyone else burst out in laughter. Well except Dumbledore whose eyes twinkled, and Snape who thought it quite below himself to laugh about such brainless things.

"Sorry pup" Remus rolled his eyes, as Sirius snickered when Harry clambered back upright.

**Harry vaulted over the locked park gate and set off across the parched grass. The park was as empty as the surrounding streets. When he reached the swings he sank on to the only one that Dudley and his friends had not yet managed to break, coiled one arm around the chain and stared moodily at the ground. He would not be able to hide in the Dursleys' flowerbed again.**

**Tomorrow, he would have to think of some fresh way of listening to the news. In the meantime, he had nothing to look forward to but another restless, disturbed night, because even when he escaped the nightmares about Cedric he had unsettling dreams about long dark corridors all finishing in dead ends and locked doors, **

Dumbledore paused meaningfully, and all of the order members understood what corridors Harry had been dreaming about. Sirius glanced worriedly at Harry before looking at Remus. They exchanged troubled looks.

**which he supposed had something to do with the trapped feeling he had when he was awake. Often the old scar on his forehead prickled uncomfortably, but he did not fool himself that Ron or Hermione or Sirius would find that very interesting any more. In the past, his scar hurting had warned that Voldemort was getting stronger again, but now that Voldemort was back they would probably remind him that its regular irritation was only to be expected… nothing to worry about… old news…**

"We wouldn't say that! You're hurting, we would try to help"

"Tell that to my past self"

"You really should have told us Harry" Sirius said seriously, he was worried about his godson keeping all this to himself.

**The injustice of it all welled up inside him so that he wanted to yell with fury. If it hadn't been for him, nobody would even have known Voldemort was back! And his reward was to be stuck in Little Whinging for four solid weeks, completely cut off from the magical world, reduced to squatting among dying begonias so that he could hear about water-skiing budgerigars! How could Dumbledore have forgotten him so easily? Why had Ron and Hermione got together without inviting him along, too? How much longer was he supposed to endure Sirius telling him to sit tight and be a good boy; or resist the temptation to write to the stupid Daily Prophet and point out that Voldemort had returned? **

"I admit, you had every reason to be angry with us all. We were all acting like big gits" Sirius directed the last word to Dumbledore, who merely smiled sadly, nodding at Harry who had looked up.

"Yes, Harry. I can now see how we shouldn't have kept you in the dark that much."

Mrs. Weasley tried to protest, they were just kids, and of course they shouldn't have given them that kind of information. They didn't need to worry about that kind of stuff, but Arthur silenced her by asking for a glass of water. He knew she would blow up at some point, but he rather it be sometime later.

**These furious thoughts whirled around in Harry's head, and his insides writhed with anger as a sultry, velvety night fell around him, the air full of the smell of warm, dry grass, and the only sound that of the low grumble of traffic on the road beyond the park railings.**

"How long did you sit there thinking how angry you were? No wonder you exploded when you got here!" Ginny exclaimed. She had heard him too from the staircase, but she was had also been smart enough to wait it out, before she popped inside like Fred and George.

Harry shrugged. Time hadn't really meant anything to him that summer.

**He did not know how long he had sat on the swing before the sound of voices interrupted his musings and he looked up. The streetlamps from the surrounding roads were casting a misty glow strong enough to silhouette a group of people making their way across the park. One of them was singing a loud, crude song. The others were laughing. A soft ticking noise came from several expensive racing bikes that they were wheeling along.**

"No manners and no discipline at all. It's a wonder you turned out so good, Harry dear" Molly had just gotten back to the room, with a tray of tea and some sandwiches. They all paused for a minute and ate before continuing. But not before Fred managed to lob his lettuce at Ron who then cursed loudly, and Mrs. Weasley snapping at him.

"Ronald, you watch that tongue!"

**Harry knew who those people were. The figure in front was unmistakably his cousin, Dudley Dursley, wending his way home, accompanied by his faithful gang.**

**Dudley was as vast as ever, but a year's hard dieting and the discovery of a new talent had wrought quite a change in his physique. **

"So the fat git isn't fat anymore?"

"Ronald, what did I just say?"

"Sorry mum"

**As Uncle Vernon delightedly told anyone who would listen, Dudley had recently become the Junior Heavyweight Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast. 'The noble sport', as Uncle Vernon called it, had made Dudley even more formidable than he had seemed to Harry in their primary school days when he had served as Dudley's first punching bag.**

There were growls and muttering heard throughout the room, and this time Mrs. Weasley really did get up to hug a very flustered Harry. He patted her back whilst she sniffled into his ear.

"It's not as bad as it sounds Mrs. Weasley"

"You still try to comfort me; we'll try to take care of this" Harry frowned when she went back to her seat, again with they taking care of it. Really good job they've done this far.

**Harry was not remotely afraid of his cousin any more but he still didn't think that Dudley learning to punch harder and more accurately was cause for celebration.**

"No, certainly not. Couldn't he pick up something more harmless? Like origami or something?" George, Harry and Ron laughed as Fred tried to think up some new hobbies for Dudley.

**Neighbourhood children all around were terrified of him - even more terrified than they were of 'that Potter boy' who, they had been warned, was a hardened hooligan and attended St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys.**

"They said WHAT? My godson is not a criminal!"

"Don't let his innocent looks fool you Sirius, he is really as bad as they come. How many detentions have you had this year alone Harry?" Hermione and Ron glared as Harry winced at the reminder, feeling his hand tingling unpleasantly.

"What? Detentions? Is there something that you haven't been telling me, Harry?"

"It's probably in the book" Harry wasn't looking forward towards that chapter.

**Harry watched the dark figures crossing the grass and wondered who they had been beating up tonight. Look round, Harry found himself thinking as he watched them. Come on… look round… I'm sitting here all alone… come and have a go…**

"Don't pick a fight Harry. They outnumber you by far" Sirius advised, missing the amused look Remus gave him.

"What your godfather means is, don't pick fights at all"

"Well, I can't change it now, this already happened. Remember?"

**If Dudley's friends saw him sitting here, they would be sure to make a beeline for him and what would Dudley do then? He wouldn't want to lose face in front of the gang, but he'd be terrified of provoking Harry… it would be really fun to watch Dudley's dilemma, to taunt him, watch him, with him powerless to respond… **

Snape sneered at the book. It seemed Potter was exactly like his father. A bully. Maybe he wasn't spoilt rotten, but other people made up for that little fact. Dumbledore noticed Severus's ever souring expression and shook his head sadly. He felt bad for the bitter man who never could look at the whole picture.

**and if any of the others tried hitting Harry, he was ready - he had his wand. Let them try… he'd love to vent some of his frustration on the boys who had once made his life hell.**

Snape's glower lessened slightly. There it was again, a contradiction to everything he had ever believed. For every thing that they read about Potter's muggle relatives it seemed they deserved every rude remark and insolent behaviour. It was a miracle Potter hadn't turned out worse.

**But they didn't turn around, they didn't see him, they were almost at the railings. Harry mastered the impulse to call after them… seeking a fight was not a smart move…he must not use magic… he would be risking expulsion again.**

"Good Harry, keep your cool. They would have overpowered you" Sirius advised seriously, ignoring the glare Mrs. Weasley sent him.

"He shouldn't be picking fights at all!"

**The voices of Dudley's gang died away; they were out of sight, heading along Magnolia Road.**

**There you go, Sirius, Harry thought dully. Nothing rash. Kept my nose clean. Exactly the opposite of what you'd have done.**

"Hey, there's no reason to take out your anger on me" Sirius huffed playfully, trying to lift his godson's spirits. This wretched chapter was ruining everyone's mood.

**He got to his feet and stretched. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seemed to feel that whenever Dudley turned up was the right time to be home, and any time after that was much too late.**

"What kind of rule is that? That's not fair!" Hermione exclaimed. Harry felt like rolling his eyes.

"Where ever did you get the impression that the Dursley's are fair?" Hermione balled her fists, but didn't answer. Those people were horrible.

**Uncle Vernon had threatened to lock Harry in the shed **

"They better not have tried!" Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, not meeting anyone's eyes. Not maybe the shed, but did cupboards count?

**if he came home after Dudley ever again, so, stifling a yawn, and still scowling, Harry set off towards the park gate. Magnolia Road, like Privet Drive, was full of large, square houses with perfectly manicured lawns, all owned by large, square owners who drove very clean cars similar to Uncle Vernon's.**

"Sounds lovely" The twins said brightly, but pouted when everyone ignored them. What was it with these people? They shouldn't cling to their tension so hard, but instead let it go and relax. Harry was fine. Well of course they wanted to go kill some walrus, but as that wasn't a possibility they would have to come up with something else.

**Harry preferred Little Whinging by night, when the curtained windows made patches of jewel bright colour in the darkness and he ran no danger of hearing disapproving mutters about his 'delinquent' appearance when he passed the householders. He walked quickly, so that halfway along Magnolia Road Dudley's gang came into view again; they were saying their farewells at the entrance to Magnolia Crescent. Harry stepped into the shadow of a large lilac tree and waited.**

"Harry…"

"… **squealed like a pig, didn't he?" Malcolm was saying, to guffaws from the others.**

"**Nice right hook, Big D," said Piers.**

"Big D! I have never heard a more accurate name!"

"**Same time tomorrow?" said Dudley.**

"**Round at my place, my parents will be out," said Gordon.**

"**See you then," said Dudley.**

"**Bye, Dud!"**

"**See ya, Big D!"**

**Harry waited for the rest of the gang to move on before setting off again. When their voices had faded once more he headed around the corner into Magnolia Crescent and by walking very quickly he soon came within hailing distance of Dudley, who was strolling along at his ease, humming tunelessly.**

"**Hey, Big D!"**

"Harry! The git is three times bigger than you, mate. Do you really want to die?"

"Hey, I'm right here aren't I? And I had my wand"

"Yes, a wand that you couldn't use!" Ron was pretty incredulous at what they were reading. Harry was always so level headed it was odd hearing him so angry all the time. Yeah, he shouted at them when he saw them; but after that everything was back to normal, and Harry was his usual quiet self.

**Dudley turned.**

"**Oh," he grunted. "It's you."**

"**How long have you been 'Big D' then?" said Harry.**

"**Shut it," snarled Dudley, turning away.**

"**Cool name," said Harry, grinning and falling into step beside his cousin. "But you'll always be**'**Ickle Diddykins' to me."**

"Harry, you really should pick on git's your own size" Sirius said logically, and the twins burst out laughing.

"You mean he should pick on twelve year olds? They are equally scrawny as him!" Harry scowled at Sirius who was laughing and to George who had just high-fived Fred.

"You just wait"

"**I said, SHUT IT!" said Dudley, whose ham-like hands had curled into fists.**

"**Don't the boys know that's what your mum calls you**?"

"**Shut your face."**

"Normally I wouldn't listen to a thing that git said, but Harry you really should shut it before he kills you" Ron said.

"This already happened! I can't change it!"

"**You don't tell her to shut her face. What about 'Popkin' and 'Dinky Diddydums', can I use them then?"**

"Dinky Diddydums? Is your aunt insane? Merlin's beard, that must have been embarrassing!" Ron burst out, snickering. The twins would have commented but as they were busy laughing their heads off they couldn't.

**Dudley said nothing. The effort of keeping himself from hitting Harry seemed to demand all his self-control.**

"Well at least you realized it" Remus sighed.

"**So who've you been beating up tonight?" Harry asked, his grin fading. "Another ten-year-old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago -"**

"**He was asking for it," snarled Dudley.**

"**Oh yeah?"**

"**He cheeked me."**

"**Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs? Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true."**

"Bloody hell" "Ronald!" "When did you get so good at insults?" Harry shrugged sheepishly.

"I was really mad, and couldn't control myself"

**A muscle was twitching in Dudley's jaw. It gave Harry enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was making Dudley; he felt as though he was siphoning off his own frustration into his cousin, the only outlet he had.**

"Harry, you should have talked to us instead" Sirius said and Hermione and Ron nodded.

"Well, I really didn't want to talk to you at that moment!" Remus winced and Harry calmed down again.

"Sorry, I just didn't think it was that important"

"Everything is important"

**They turned right down the narrow alleyway where Harry had first seen Sirius and which formed a short cut between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. It was empty and much darker than the streets it linked because there were no streetlamps. Their footsteps were muffled between garage walls on one side and a high fence on the other.**

"Why doesn't this sound good?" Ginny asked, feeling ill at ease.

"Well, it's the dementor attack, so I guess it's not the most pleasant thing"

"We're going to read t-that?" Hermione stuttered out, she really didn't like to think of her friend any where even near dementors and now she would have to read about it.

"**Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley said after a few seconds.**

"**What thing?"**

"**That - that thing you are hiding."**

**Harry grinned again.**

"**Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time."**

"I stick to my earlier comment. You are quite ruthless Harry" he just rolled his eyes, punching Ron's shoulder lightly.

**Harry pulled out his wand. He saw Dudley look sideways at it.**

"**You're not allowed," Dudley said at once. "I know you're not. You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to."**

"**How d'you know they haven't changed the rules, Big D?"**

"**They haven't," said Dudley, though he didn't sound completely convinced.**

**Harry laughed softly.**

"You should know Harry, when you laugh like that you're really scary" Fred said. There was a reason why the twins never really pranked Harry. They knew he could get them back, probably better than them in the first place. Harry was the sneakiest Gryffindor after them.

"Oh yeah?" Harry laughed incredulously, raising his eyebrow at the twins, who were shuddering in their seats, covering behind their hands.

"Downright terrifying"

"**You haven't got the guts to take me on without that thing, have you?" Dudley snarled.**

"**Whereas you just need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old.**

Snape scowled. That muggle was really getting on his nerves.

**You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?"**

"**He was sixteen, for your information," snarled Dudley, "and he was out cold for twenty minutes after I'd finished with him and he was twice as heavy as you. You just wait till I tell Dad you had that thing out –"**

"Running to daddy now are you? You big fat git!"

"Ginerva Weasley! That is no way to talk about another person" Mrs. Weasley looked horrified at her baby girl, who was glaring at the book.

"But mum!"

"No, you watch that mouth missy"

"**Running to Daddy now, are you? Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand?"**

"**Not this brave at night, are you?" sneered Dudley.**

"What is he talking about?" Hermione asked worriedly, she didn't like the implications.

"You'll see"

"**This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."**

"**I mean when you're in bed!" Dudley snarled.**

**He had stopped walking. Harry stopped too, staring at his cousin.**

**From the little he could see of Dudley's large face, he was wearing a strangely triumphant look.**

"**What d'you mean, I'm not brave when I'm in bed?" s aid Harry, completely nonplussed. "What am I supposed to be frightened of, pillows or something?"**

"Yes Harry, how are you not terrified?" The twins asked, lobbing a couple of their own pillows at Harry, witch he neatly ducked. Harry ignored them to some extent, and watched the room's reactions instead. It truly baffled him that everyone was reacting so strongly to everything, when they had at the time ignored his pleading letters.

"**I heard you last night," said Dudley breathlessly. "Talking in your sleep. Moaning."**

"**What d'you mean?" Harry said again, but there was a cold, plunging sensation in his stomach. He had revisited the graveyard last night in his dreams.**

"He wouldn't! That's an awful thing to say!" Molly cried, casting pitying looks at Harry, who ignored them. He really hated pity, and this had all happened already, so it wasn't really important anymore.

**Dudley gave a harsh bark of laughter, then adopted a high-pitched whimpering voice.**

"'**Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!' Who's Cedric - your boyfriend?"**

"How dare he?" Hermione and Ginny screamed.

"Punch him!" "Hex him!" Curse him!" The Weasley's were as red in the face as their hair, and all furious that someone would say something like that.

"**I - you're lying," said Harry automatically.**

**But his mouth had gone dry. He knew Dudley wasn't lying - how else would he know about Cedric?**

"**Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Dad! Boo hoo!"**

Sirius and Remus winced, and Sirius hugged Harry to his side again, for his or Harry's comfort he wasn't sure. He smiled reassuringly at Moony, who grimaced. How had they not realized how traumatizing everything would be for Harry? They hadn't tried to talk to him or anything, he was ashamed of himself. No fifteen year old should have to go trough what Harry went trough.

"**Shut up," said Harry quietly. "Shut up, Dudley, I'm warning you!"**

"**Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me! He's going to - don't you point that thing at me!"**

"I really won't blame you if you hexed him into oblivion" Sirius muttered. He felt like doing it himself right now. He couldn't stand how Harry's relatives treated Harry, and he was nowhere to help. Harry was alone at Privet Drive when he was surrounded by people at the Headquarter. And he had been complaining.

"I'm really sorry, Harry. For sending you there" Harry shrugged, and Sirius frowned. They would have to talk.

Snape was furious. How could that fat insolent muggle talk about someone's dead parents in such a way? Especially Lily who had been one of the most beautiful and intelligent person Severus had ever known. He looked over at Potter, who was staring at the floor, oblivious to the concerned looks that dog and werewolf were exchanging. He was really different, but sometimes it was just easier to hate someone.

**Dudley backed into the alley wall. Harry was pointing the wand directly at Dudley's heart. Harry could feel fourteen years' hatred of Dudley pounding in his veins - what wouldn't he give to strike now, to jinx Dudley so thoroughly he'd have to crawl home like an insect, struck dumb, sprouting feelers…**

"Do it, do it, do it, do it-"The twins chanted excitedly, ignoring the scowl their mother was directing at them. Harry needed to be cheered up, and as no one else seemed to be doing anything, the honour fell on their shoulders.

"**Don't ever talk about that again," Harry snarled. "D'you understand me?"**

"**Point that thing somewhere else!"**

"**I said, do you understand me?"**

"**Point it somewhere else!"**

"**DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"**

"**GET THAT THING AWAY FROM -"**

**Dudley gave an odd, shuddering gasp, as though he had been doused in icy water.**

**Something had happened to the night. The star-strewn indigo sky was suddenly pitch black and lightless - the stars, the moon, the misty streetlamps at either end of the alley had vanished. The distant rumble of cars and the whisper of trees had gone. The balmy evening was suddenly piercingly, bitingly cold. They were surrounded by total, impenetrable, silent darkness, as though some giant hand had dropped a thick, icy mantle over the entire alleyway, blinding them.**

"Oh God…" Mrs. Weasley buried her face into Arthur's shoulder. Ginny looked ready to be sick, she was so nervous about what was to come. Hermione and Ron both moved closer to Harry who had been fiddling with a hole in his shirt nervously. Fred and George were quiet, sensing that any interruptions would not be welcome. Sirius tensed and brought Harry closer.

**For a split second Harry thought he had done magic without meaning to, despite the fact that he'd been resisting as hard as he could - then his reason caught up with his senses - he didn't have the power to turn off the stars. He turned his head this way and that, trying to see something, but the darkness pressed on his eyes like a weightless veil.**

**Dudley's terrified voice broke in Harry's ear.**

"**W-what are you d-doing? St-stop it!"**

"**I'm not doing anything! Shut up and don't move!"**

"**I c-can't see! I've g-gone blind! I -"**

"Please shut up already!" Hermione snapped nervously, she couldn't stand to read about this.

"**I said shut up!"**

**Harry stood stock still, turning his sightless eyes left and right. The cold was so intense he was shivering all over; goose bumps had erupted up his arms and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up - he opened his eyes to their fullest extent, staring blankly around, unseeing.**

"You're creeping _me_ out and I wasn't even there, you're so detailed!" Ron was trying very hard not to clap his hands over his ears, not wanting to hear more.

**It was impossible… they couldn't be here… not in Little Whinging… he strained his ears… he would hear them before he saw them…**

"How would you know that?" Arthur asked quietly, knowing that he shouldn't ask, but still too curious not to.

"This isn't the first time I've come across dementors"

"**I'll t-tell Dad!" Dudley whimpered. "W-where are you? What are you d-do—?"**

"**Will you shut up?" Harry hissed, "I'm trying to lis —"**

**But he fell silent. He had heard just the thing he had been dreading.**

**There was something in the alleyway apart from themselves, something that was drawing long, hoarse, rattling breaths. Harry felt a horrible jolt of dread as he stood trembling in the freezing air.**

Fred and George hugged Ginny, murmuring reassuringly in her ear.

"This already happened, I'm alright!" Harry was a little exasperated at everyone. It was only a book, and they could all see that he was safe now.

"**C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!"**

"**Dudley, shut—"**

**WHAM.**

"He hit you!" Hermione cried out, glaring at the book. Remus was clenching and unclenching his fists, his expression stormy.

"Doesn't he realize that you are the only chance he has at defending himself?"

"No"

**A fist made contact with the side of Harry's head, lifting him off his feet. Small white lights popped in front of his eyes.**

**For the second time in an hour Harry felt as though his head had been cleaved in two; next moment, he had landed hard on the ground and his wand had flown out of his hand.**

"Bloody hell! How did you survive this?" Harry shrugged nonchalantly, trying in vain not to let everything get to him. It was enough to live trough it once.

"**You moron, Dudley!" Harry yelled, his eyes watering with pain as he scrambled to his hands and knees, feeling around frantically in the blackness. He heard Dudley blundering away, hitting the alley fence, stumbling.**

"**DUDLEY, COME BACK! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT AT IT!"**

"As horrible as he is, no one deserves to be kissed by a dementor" Remus muttered darkly, he looked pointedly at Snape who leered back at him, but he didn't really mind, at least he got some reaction.

Sirius was incredibly tense and anxious. He hated dementors more than anything, and after Azkaban he just couldn't stand it. And hearing his beloved godson in a situation like this made him feel sick with worry.

**There was a horrible squealing yell and Dudley's footsteps stopped. At the same moment, Harry felt a creeping chill behind him that could mean only one thing. There was more than one.**

"**DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Wand!" Harry muttered frantically, his hands flying over the ground like spiders.**

"**Where's - wand -come on -lumos!"**

"Not going to work Potter. Only very powerful wizards can control magic without their wands" Harry barely stopped himself from smirking at Snape's scowling face.

**He said the spell automatically, desperate for light to help him in his search - and to his disbelieving relief, light flared inches from his right hand - the wand tip had ignited.**

"I'll take that as a compliment, sir" Harry smiled brightly at the stunned potions professor. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and Hermione looked quite astonished.

"That is very advanced magic Harry, I'm proud of you" Remus said smiling faintly, Sirius, Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore nodding with. Harry flushed.

**Harry snatched it up, scrambled to his feet and turned around. His stomach turned over. A towering, hooded figure was gliding smoothly towards him, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.**

**Stumbling backwards, Harry raised his wand.**

"**Expecto patronum!"**

**A silvery wisp of vapour shot from the tip of the wand and the Dementor slowed, but the spell hadn't worked properly; tripping over his own feet, Harry retreated further as the Dementor bore down upon him, panic fogging his brain -concentrate–A pair of grey, slimy, scabbed hands slid from inside the Dementor's robes, reaching for him. A rushing noise filled Harry's ears.**

Everyone was too tense to say anything, and Sirius drew Harry even closer, just to make sure that he was still there. Harry understood how hard this was for Sirius and let him.

"**Expecto patronum!"**

**His voice sounded dim and distant. Another wisp of silver smoke, feebler than the last, drifted from the wand - he couldn't do it any more, he couldn't work the spell. **

"You are always able to do it!" Ron burst out. He hadn't known that it was this close, Harry had almost been… no don't think about it.

**There was laughter inside his own head, shrill, high-pitched laughter… he could smell the Dementor's putrid, death-cold breath filling his own lungs, drowning him - think… something happy…**

Hermione grabbed Ron's hand tightly, and he looked at her shocked, but squeezed reassuringly when he saw how scared she was for their friend. Ginny was hiding in the twins comforting hold, not really caring how childish she must look like.

Arthur was hugging Molly and whispering reassuring nonsense in her ear, hoping to calm her down. Snape was looking oddly at the book in his mentors hands. It felt wrong to read how Potter nearly died.

**But there was no happiness in him… the Dementor's icy fingers were closing on his throat – the high-pitched laughter was growing louder and louder, and a voice spoke inside his head: "Bow to death, Harry… it might even be painless… I would not know… I have never died…"**

If possibly Sirius's grip tightened even further, and Harry suppressed a wince. Everyone was looking at him horrified.

"W-was that…" Fred managed to stutter out, but breaking off when he met Harry's haunted eyes.

"Voldemort"

**He was never going to see Ron and Hermione again – And their faces burst clearly into his mind as he fought for breath.**

"You thought of us" Hermione said tearfully, and Ron patted her awkwardly on the arm. She smiled at her two best friends, before flinging herself at them and hugging them tightly, even as it was a bit hard as Harry refused to move away from Sirius. Remus had a comforting hand on his shoulder but he didn't seem to notice. The only thing on his mind was Harry, and that he was alright.

"**EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**

**An enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry's wand; its antlers caught the Dementor in the place where the heart should have been; it was thrown backwards, weightless as darkness, and as the stag charged, the Dementor swooped away, bat-like and defeated.**

"**THIS WAY!" Harry shouted at the stag. Wheeling around, he sprinted down the alleyway, holding the lit wand aloft. "DUDLEY? DUDLEY!"**

**He had run barely a dozen steps when he reached them: Dudley was curled up on the ground, his arms clamped over his face. A second Dementor was crouching low over him, gripping his wrists in its slimy hands, prizing them slowly almost lovingly apart, lowering its hooded head towards Dudley's face as though about to kiss him.**

"Oh Merlin…" Ginny breathed, and the twins squeezed a little tighter.

"**GET IT!" Harry bellowed, and with a rushing, roaring sound, the silver stag he had conjured came galloping past him. The Dementor's eyeless face was barely an inch from Dudley's when the silver antlers caught it; the thing was thrown up into the air and, like its fellow, it soared away and was absorbed into the darkness; the stag cantered to the end of the alleyway and dissolved into silver mist.**

_Thanks Prongs_, Remus thought quietly to himself.

**Moon, stars and streetlamps burst back into life. A warm breeze swept the alleyway. Trees rustled in neighbouring gardens and the mundane rumble of cars in Magnolia Crescent filled the air again.**

"Thank God, that's over" Mrs. Weasley said faintly, still clutching her husbands shoulder. Everyone else nodded in agreement except Sirius who was too far gone to do anything.

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Harry whispered quietly so only he and Sirius could hear. He didn't like the empty look in his godfather's eyes, and was quite anxious to get rid of it.

"That was so close. You were that close to getting…" Sirius whispered in a strangled voice, blinking and Harry was shocked to see a tear slid down his face.

"But I'm fine now. Nothing happened" Harry squeezed his godfather's arm smiling faintly when he turned around to study Harry, like checking for injuries.

"But something could have, so easily. And I wasn't there to help you at all" Remus had heard that last thing, and placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"There was nothing we could have done. It's already happened, we can't change the past. We're just going to have to make sure nothing like this happens again" Sirius nodded weakly, still looking more serious than was usual, but after bringing Harry back to his side, where he would stay for the rest of the evening if he had any say in the matter, he felt calmer.

**Harry stood quite still, all his senses vibrating, taking in the abrupt return to normality. After a moment, he became aware that his T-shirt was sticking to him; he was drenched in sweat. He could not believe what had just happened. Dementors here, in Little Whinging.**

"We were equally as shocked as you Harry" Dumbledore said apologetically, not even he had known that someone would send dementors to Privet Drive, which was filled with muggles.

**Dudley lay curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking. Harry bent down to see whether he was in a fit state to stand up, but then he heard loud, running footsteps behind him. Instinctively raising his wand again, he span on his heel to face the newcomer.**

**Mrs. Figg, their batty old neighbour, came panting into sight. Her grizzled grey hair was escaping from its hairnet, a clanking string shopping bag was swinging from her wrist and her feet were halfway out of her tartan carpet slippers. Harry made to stow his wand hurriedly out of sight, but-**

"**Don't put it away idiot boy!" she shrieked. "What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"**

"That really shocked me, you know. After all those years with her cats and cabbage stink, she was actually a squib." Harry said thoughtfully. That night had been to filled with other things that he had never really thought of how hard it must have been for her to keep everything secret.

"That was the end of the chapter. Any volunteers?" Dumbledore said closing the book, peering around the still shell-shocked room.


	3. A Peck of Owls

**A/N I can't belive how fast we wrote this chapter! But here you go...enjoy.**

**"Don't put it away idiot boy!" she shrieked. "What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"**

"That really shocked me, you know. After all those years with her cats and cabbage stink, she was actually a squib." Harry said thoughtfully. That night had been too filled with other things that he had never really thought of how hard it must have been for her to keep everything secret.

"That was the end of the chapter. Any volunteers?" Dumbledore said closing the book, peering around the still shell-shocked room.

"Well why don't we go in order, Severus?" That damn twinkle was back, and directed at Snape, who looked disbelievingly at his mentor.

"Me? I don't want to read about that bra-"

"Finish that Snape and you'll regret it dearly" Sirius hissed from the other side of the room, where he was still holding Harry close. The others occupants glared at him and he sighed reluctantly, admitting defeat.

"Well give it here then, so I can get it over with" Unknown to Snape that was very similar to what a certain 'brat' was thinking too.

"Do you want to take a break?" Sirius whispered to Harry, who in his opinion was looking a little tired.

"No I'm fine" Sirius looked at his godson doubtfully before shrugging and motioning for Snape to start reading. Snape scowled but opened the book at the right page and started reading.

'**A Peck of Owls'**

"What's that supposed to mean? These chapter titles are so confusing!" Ron exclaimed, oblivious to Hermione who rolled her eyes behind his back. What he wasn't very oblivious too though was the glare that Snape directed his way. Ron shrank back, and thought it better to let it go.

"**He left!" said Mrs. Figg, wringing her hands. "Left to see someone about a batch of cauldrons that fell off the back of a broom! I told him I'd flay him alive if he went, and now look! Dementors! It's just lucky I put Mr. Tibbles **

George really felt like asking who, but after glancing at Snape who seemed to be daring anyone to interrupt whilst he read, decided that maybe it would be better to keep quiet, for a while at least.

**on the case! But we haven't got time to stand** **around! Hurry, now, we've got to get you back! Oh, the trouble this is going to cause! I will kill him!"**

"Me too, Arabella me too" Sirius muttered, and Remus patted him on the shoulder. It really hadn't been a pretty sight when Dung had arrived at the Headquarters and tried to explain what had happened. Harry was watching confusedly but didn't ask when he saw the anger in his godfather's eyes. It probably wouldn't be long before he burst it out anyway.

"**But -" The revelation that his batty old cat-obsessed neighbour knew what Dementors were was almost as big a shock to Harry as meeting two of them down the alleyway. "You're - you're a witch?"**

"Keep up Harry; you were so good last chapter!" Harry scowled half-heartedly at Fred who was grinning.

"Well sorry for disappointing you, I had just been attacked by dementors and I had other things on my mind, and then my old neighbour who never even showed signs of being magical suddenly pops up and starts shouting!"

"Okay, mate. Whatever you say" this time the scowl wasn't as half-hearted.

"**I'm a Squib, as Mundungus knows full well, so how on earth was I supposed to help you fight off Dementors? He left you completely without cover when I'd warned him -"**

"Does he know how to do a Patronus then?" Harry asked, it had always bothered him to think that all those problems with the Ministry could have been avoided. Or if he would have been there, would he just have to save one more person?

"Well… no. But, well… yeah, I see your point" Sirius muttered, glaring at Dumbledore, who Sirius at least was blaming for most of this. Honestly, why had Dung been the one to guard Harry?

"**This Mundungus has been following me? Hang on - it was him! He Disapparated from the front of my house!"**

"Good Harry, a bit slow but you got there in the end!" George praised Harry condescendingly, un-affected by the pillow that flew past him, missing him by mere inches. Harry scowled darker when his pillow didn't hit its intended mark, and elbowed Sirius in the ribs, his godfather had poked Harry and diverted his aim.

"God, pup! No need to get violent" Sirius wheezed out clutching his stomach, bending forwards, oblivious to Remus snickering besides him and the howling laughter off the twins.

"**Yes, yes, yes, but luckily I'd stationed Mr. Tibbles under a car just in case, and Mr. Tibbies came and warned me, but by the time I got to your house you'd gone - and now - oh, what's Dumbledore going to say? You!" she shrieked at Dudley, still supine on the alley floor. "Get your fat bottom off the ground, quick!"**

"I guess she was still bitter about that time Dudley ran her over with his racing bike" Harry said thoughtfully, ignoring the indignant muttering from Mrs. Weasley.

"**You know Dumbledore?" said Harry, staring at her.**

"Who doesn't? You are really well known sir" Dumbledore chuckled in acknowledgement, nodding at Ron. Hermione scoffed at him disbelievingly.

"Well muggles don't know about him, Ron. He's known to wizards" Harry nodded. It had been a really big shock to realize that his neighbour was connected with his world, but never told him.

"**Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore? But come on - I'll be no help if they come back, I've never so much as transfigured a teabag."**

"Neither have I, now that I think about it" Sirius said, looking pensively at the teacup Molly had brought him. "Doesn't sound very useful" Remus shook his head at his friend, who was now thoughtfully studying his tea. Harry snorted, and Sirius winked slyly at Moony, who shook his head again. He had almost thought that Sirius was as stupid as he sometimes tried to be.

**She stooped down, seized one of Dudley's massive arms in her wizened hands and tugged.**

"**Get up, you useless lump, get up!"**

**But Dudley either could not or would not move. He remained on the ground, trembling and ashen-faced, his mouth shut very tight.**

"It's understandable. He couldn't even see what attacked him, but still felt the effects. No one deserves that, the least a muggle who can't defend themselves" Arthur said looking thoughtfully at Harry. He truly was some kid to save someone who had made his life hell.

"You were very brave, Harry" Remus said, smiling kindly thinking very similar thoughts as Mr. Weasley. It was a miracle Harry had turned out as good as he had.

Snape was grudgingly thinking along the same lines. He certainly wouldn't have done the same. Stupid Gryffindor's.

"**I'll do it." Harry took hold of Dudley's arm and heaved. With an enormous effort he managed to hoist him to his feet. **

"Bloody hell mate! How did you manage? He's at least five times bigger than you!" Ron burst out, looking appraisingly at his friend. He was still the same scrawny twig as always, even as he had grown since term started.

"Yeah Harry, when did you-"

"-get so _strong? _Where's all that muscle hiding?" Harry shrugged nonchalantly. Playing Quidditch certainly had its advantages, and now he wasn't able to play anymore. That bloody toad.

**Dudley seemed to be on the point of fainting. His small eyes were rolling in their sockets and sweat was beading his face;**

"Charming"

"Shush Ginny"

**the moment Harry let go of him he swayed dangerously.**

"**Hurry up!" said Mrs. Figg hysterically.**

**Harry pulled one of Dudley's massive arms around his own shoulders and dragged him towards the road, sagging slightly under the weight. **

"I'm impressed Harry. I saw your cousin and that fat git-" Sirius started but was cut off by Remus smacking him lightly on the shoulder raising his eyebrow.

"What? When have you ever seen Dudley?" Harry couldn't think of any time when Sirius could have been near the Dursley's.

"Well, you remember that dog you saw when you ran away?" Harry's eyes widened, and Ron snickered slightly.

"Of course that was you! You came all the way to Little Whining?"

"I really wanted to see you, even as I feared that you thought I was a crazed serial killer. Really neat that thing you did to that fat woman by the way. You got to teach me that one" Sirius turned to stare at Snape speculatively.

"If you're done?" Snape snarled, apprehensive by the look in that dog's eye.

**Mrs. Figg tottered along in front of them, peering anxiously around the corner.**

"**Keep your wand out," she told Harry, as they entered Wisteria Walk. "Never mind the Statute of Secrecy now, there's going to be hell to pay anyway, we might as well be hanged for a dragon as an egg. Talk about the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery… this was exactly what Dumbledore was afraid of - What's that at the end of the street? Oh, it's just Mr. Prentice… don't put your wand away, boy, don't I keep telling you I'm no use?"**

**It was not easy to hold a wand steady and haul Dudley along at the same time. Harry gave his cousin an impatient dig in the ribs, but Dudley seemed to have lost all desire for independent movement. He was slumped on Harry's shoulder, his large feet dragging along the ground.**

"You were practically carrying him! God, you really are stronger than you look mate"

"Thanks… I guess" Harry rolled his eyes at Ron. He wasn't that scrawny, right?

"**Why didn't you tell me you're a Squib, Mrs. Figg?" asked Harry, panting with the effort to keep walking. "All those times I came round your house - why didn't you say anything?"**

"**Dumbledore's orders. I was to keep an eye on you but not say anything, you were too young. I'm sorry I gave you such a miserable time, Harry, but the Dursleys would never have let you come if they'd thought you enjoyed it.**

Everyone were once again reminded by those bastards, and scowled at the book darkly. Sirius anger rose again, and he brought Harry closer to his side, swinging his arm around his shoulders, squeezing reassuringly. Harry stiffened instinctively but relaxed into his godfather's side, hiding his face in his robes, dignity be damned! He didn't want to hear anymore about the Dursley's.

**It wasn't easy, you know… but oh my word," she said tragically, wringing her hands once more, "when Dumbledore hears about this - how could Mundungus have left, he was supposed to be on duty until midnight - where is he? How am I going to tell Dumbledore what's happened? I can't Apparate."**

"**I've got an owl, you can borrow her." Harry groaned, wondering whether his spine was going to snap under Dudley's weight.**

"Don't be stupid Potter! You need to contact the headmaster much faster"

"Yes, I know. I was in shock, and hauling my very heavy cousin. I think it's understandable that I was a little confused" Harry didn't look up when he spoke, and in doing so missed the concerned glances exchanged around the room. Even Snape was slightly troubled by the dispassionate response, where was the volatile teenager from just moments ago?

"**Harry, you don't understand! Dumbledore will need to act as quickly as possible, the Ministry have their own ways of detecting underage magic, they'll know already, you mark my words."**

"That trace really should be removed or at least altered; it's not even that effective. Purebloods can do magic if they want because they are surrounded by magic anyways so the trace wouldn't be able to notice the differences, but muggleborns have no way of practising magic while away from school. It seems very unfair" Hermione burst out, unable to control herself.

"**But I was getting rid of Dementors, I had to use magic - they're going to be more worried about what Dementors were doing floating around Wisteria Walk, surely?"**

"Oh naïve little Harry…" Fred snickered with Ron whilst George shook his head sadly.

"Oi, give me a break! I didn't know how big of a prat Fudge was being yet"

"I wish you never found out" Hermione muttered to herself. She hated the Ministry for making Harry a deranged attention-seeking idiot in their 'articles'. She was so angry that she couldn't do anything, and that Harry was losing hope every time someone walked past him and either looked fearful or spiteful. There never was a middle ground for Harry's life. He was either ridiculed or worshipped.

"**Oh, my dear, I wish it were so, but I'm afraid - MUNDUNGUS FLETCHER, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"**

"You have my blessing" Remus said, causing Ginny and Hermione to snort and the twins to snicker. Harry laughed and Sirius smiled, agreeing whole heartedly with Remus. It was only because Arthur had been there when he arrived that Dung was still alive.

**There was a loud crack and a strong smell of drink mingled with stale tobacco filled the air as a squat, unshaven man in a tattered overcoat materialized right in front of them. He had short, bandy legs, long straggly ginger hair and bloodshot, baggy eyes that gave him the doleful look of a basset hound. **

"Very accurate description, if I say so myself" Harry muttered into Sirius's robes. Maybe they weren't so far off. But he wasn't scrawny, right?

**He was also clutching a silvery bundle that Harry recognized at once as an Invisibility Cloak.**

"**S'up, Figgy?" he said, staring from Mrs. Figg to Harry and Dudley. "What 'appened to staying undercover?"**

"Maybe not the best thing to say" Arthur mused chuckling slightly, but that stopped immediately when Molly turned to him with a glare. It was obvious she was still tense from the last chapter, and didn't appreciate his humour just yet.

"**I'll give you undercover!" cried Mrs. Figg. "Dementors, you useless, skiving sneak thief!"**

"That was also a very accurate description" Sirius noted darkly, ignoring the glare from Snape who was getting tired of all the interruptions. He remembered the panic he had felt when Dung had arrived at the Headquarter, shouting about a dementor attack and Harry and having to find Dumbledore. "

Sirius was tightening his hold on Harry unconsciously, and Harry looked up slightly, peering trough his dark fringe at his godfather. Evidently he wasn't the only one this book was taking a toll on. And to think this was only the second chapter!

"**Dementors?" repeated Mundungus, aghast. "Dementors, 'ere?"**

"Everything does seem to happen to you, doesn't it?" Hermione thought aloud, making Harry turn his head slightly her way.

"Yeah, I suppose so" he shrugged, grinning a bit sheepishly at his two best friends.

"**Yes, here, you worthless pile of bat droppings, here!" shrieked Mrs. Figg. "Dementors attacking the boy on your watch!"**

"**Blimey," said Mundungus weakly, looking from Mrs. Figg to Harry, and back again. "Blimey, I -"**

"**And you off buying stolen cauldrons! Didn't I tell you not to go? Didn't I!"**

"**I - well, I -" Mundungus looked deeply uncomfortable. "It — it was a very good business opportunity, see -"**

"Cauldrons are more important than my godson? Why you little shit! That wasn't what you told me, was it? I'm going to kill you Dung!" Sirius was half out of his chair heading for the door, all his fury from that night resurfacing. But he found he couldn't move. Distracted he glanced down, and saw his godson clutching at his robe, preventing him from going anywhere.

Sirius and Harry gazed at each other for a minute before Sirius sighed and sat back down, hugging Harry to him again.

"Sorry" he whispered quietly into the dark hair tickling his chin.

**Mrs. Figg raised the arm from which her string bag dangled and whacked Mundungus around the face and neck with it; judging by the clanking noise it made it was full of cat food.**

The twins and Ginny were cheering for Mrs. Figg, whilst Mrs. Weasley was shaking her head disapprovingly even though she was secretly pleased that Arabella had gotten a few hits in. Mr. Weasley was this close to joining his children, but stayed in his seat after a pointed look from his wife. Yes, he was supposed to be resting.

"**Ouch - gerroff - gerroff, you mad old bat! Someone's gotta tell Dumbledore!"**

"**Yes - they - have!" yelled Mrs. Figg, swinging the bag of cat food at every bit of Mundungus she could reach. "And - it - had - better - be - you - and - you - can - tell - him - why - you - weren't - there - to - help!"**

"**Keep your 'airnet on!" said Mundungus, his arms over his head, cowering. "I'm going, I'm going!"**

**And with another loud crack, he vanished.**

"**I hope Dumbledore murders him!" said Mrs. Figg furiously. "Now come on, Harry, what are you waiting for?"**

"Sirius was a much bigger chance at that, it was sheer luck on Dung's part that he escaped that meeting alive. We do unfortunately need his darker contacts" Remus sighed. How he had wished to join Sirius and kill that piece of dung with his own two hands. But as the rational one of the pair, he had to stop himself and Sirius regrettably. It was very lucky for Dung that Harry wasn't harmed.

**Harry decided not to waste his remaining breath on pointing out that he could barely walk under Dudley's bulk. He gave the semi-conscious Dudley a heave and staggered onwards.**

"**I'll take you to the door," said Mrs. Figg, as they turned into Privet Drive. "Just in case there are more of them around… oh my word, what a catastrophe… and you had to fight them off yourself… and Dumbledore said we were to keep you from doing magic at all costs… well, it's no good crying over spilt potion, I suppose… but the cat's among the pixies now."**

"**So," Harry panted, "Dumbledore's… been having… me followed?"**

"**Of course he has," said Mrs. Figg impatiently. "Did you expect him to let you wander around on your own after what happened in June? Good Lord, boy, they told me you were intelligent**

Snape snorted, and ignored the glares cast his way. Potter was a dunderhead; no one was going to change his mind on that matter. Okay, so he wasn't the pampered brat he believed Potter to be, but all his other believes were still in intact.

… **right… get inside and stay there," she said, as they reached number four. "I expect someone will be in touch with you soon enough."**

"**What are you going to do?" asked Harry quickly.**

"**I'm going straight home," said Mrs. Figg, staring around the dark street and shuddering. "I'll need to wait for more instructions. Just stay in the house. Goodnight."**

"She went as fast as she came, no chit-chat with her then. Poor you" George said, pouting with Fred at Harry, who was too busy ignoring everyone, to really take any notice of them.

"**Hang on, don't go yet! I want to know -"**

"No such luck Harry" Ron said, watching his friend closely. He hadn't talked at all since the last chapter, and hadn't looked up from Sirius's robes in forever, not even to roll his eyes at anyone. That was very unlike Harry. He was a quiet person, but he never left people in doubt of what he was thinking… well if he didn't feel like being mysterious. Maybe this book wasn't helping as much as they had hoped.

**But Mrs. Figg had already set off at a trot, carpet slippers flopping, string bag clanking.**

"**Wait!" Harry shouted after her. He had a million questions to ask anyone who was in contact with Dumbledore; but within seconds Mrs. Figg was swallowed by the darkness. Scowling, Harry readjusted Dudley on his shoulder and made his slow, painful way up number four's garden path.**

**The hall light was on. Harry stuck his wand back inside the waistband of his jeans, rang the bell and watched Aunt Petunia's outline grow larger and larger, oddly distorted by the rippling glass in the front door.**

"**Diddy! About time too, I was getting quite - quite -Diddy, what's the matter!"**

**Harry looked sideways at Dudley and ducked out from under his arm just in time. Dudley swayed on the spot for a moment, his face pale green… then he opened his mouth and vomited all over the doormat.**

"Lovely. Spew on the guy that just saved your life and dragged your heavy useless arse home!" Ginny exclaimed, ignoring the startled looks she was getting. She could stand the Dursley's as much as the next person; and she was finally getting enough! Harry didn't deserve this!

"Thanks Ginny, but it really doesn't matter." Harry smiled at her reassuringly when she scowled at the book in Snape's hand. Hermione raised her eyebrows speculatively, glancing between the two of them.

"**DIDDY! Diddy, what's the matter with you? Vernon? VERNON!"**

**Harry's uncle came galumphing out of the living room, walrus moustache blowing hither and thither as it always did when he was agitated. He hurried forwards to help Aunt Petunia negotiate a weak-kneed Dudley over the threshold while avoiding stepping in the pool of sick.**

"**He's ill, Vernon!"**

"**What is it, son? What's happened? Did Mrs. Polkiss give you something foreign for tea?"**

"**Why are you all covered in dirt, darling? Have you been lying on the ground?"**

"**Hang on - you haven't been mugged, have you, son?"**

**Aunt Petunia screamed.**

"**Phone the police, Vernon! Phone the police! Diddy, darling, speak to Mummy! What did they do to you?"**

"Like someone would ever think of mugging him. They could get squished." George burst out, making Fred and Ron snort, and Hermione roll her eyes. Harry was unresponsive again, and George sighed in slight disappointment. What was the matter with the scrawny git? He raised his eyebrows at Fred who shook his head. No such luck then.

**In all the kerfuffle nobody seemed to have noticed Harry, which suited him perfectly. He managed to slip inside just before Uncle Vernon slammed the door and, while the Dursleys made their noisy progress down the hall towards the kitchen, Harry moved carefully and quietly towards the stairs.**

"Yeah, good pup. Hurry!" Sirius said, worried again what the Dursley's could do when no one was there monitoring them, and Harry not telling anything. That talk couldn't come fast enough.

"**Who did it, son? Give us names. We'll get them, don't worry."**

"**Shh! He's trying to say something, Vernon! What is it, Diddy? Tell Mummy!"**

**Harry's foot was on the bottom-most stair when Dudley found his voice.**

"**Him."**

"What is that git playing at? You saved his life, and this is how he thanks you!" Ron was angry, but mostly scared at what would happen. They had seen that Harry's relatives were capable of getting violent so what would be stopping them now? None of them certainly did a very good job! He felt so angry at himself, for not realizing sooner and letting Harry go back there summer after summer, even after seeing the bars on his window, the Christmas's without presents… how stupid had they been?

**Harry froze, foot on the stair, face screwed up, braced for the explosion.**

"**BOY! COME HERE!"**

"If he lays one finger on you…" Sirius muttered darkly and Harry glanced up worriedly. It was like no one in the room except him realized that this had all happened already and they couldn't change it.

**With a feeling of mingled dread and anger, Harry removed his foot slowly from the stair and turned to follow the Dursleys.**

**The scrupulously clean kitchen had an oddly unreal glitter after the darkness outside. Aunt Petunia was ushering Dudley into a chair; he was still very green and clammy-looking. Uncle Vernon standing in front of the draining board, glaring at Harry through tiny, narrowed eyes.**

"**What have you done to my son?" he said in a menacing growl.**

"Yeah, it just has to be Harry if Dudley says so! I hate your relatives mate" Ron said angrily.

"Yeah, me too" Harry mumbled quietly, so quietly in fact that only Sirius could hear him.

"**Nothing," said Harry, knowing perfectly well that Uncle Vernon wouldn't believe him.**

"**What did he do to you, Diddy?" Aunt Petunia said in a quavering voice, now sponging sick from the front of Dudley's leather jacket. "Was it - was it you-know-what, darling? Did he use – his thing?"**

"Can't even say wand! His thing…" Fred said before slowly trailing off, and then promptly bursting into laughter with George who was bending forwards he was laughing so hard. Ginny was truly trying to fight off her blush, but when the suspicious look her mother sent them she also burst into uncontrolled laughter. Even Harry snorted into Sirius's shoulder, he was a teenage boy after all, and this was a bit more amusing the second time trough, this part at least.

Sirius was chuckling himself whilst Remus rolled his eyes. Snape was sneering at them all, cursing them all in his mind, spelling their mouth shuts sounded so very appealing right about now. He really shouldn't have expected them to shut it whilst he read; he was in the presence of the spawn of a Marauder, actual Marauder's and _Weasley's. _This day was turning out to be worse than he ever expected.

**Slowly, tremulously, Dudley nodded.**

"**I didn't!" Harry said sharply, as Aunt Petunia let out a wail and Uncle Vernon raised his fists.**

Once again the humour vanished as quickly as it came. It seemed this book wasn't going to let them enjoy anything for long. No peace what so ever. They could only hope that it would get better when Harry got away from Privet Drive. Which wasn't in some time, Sirius had to admit to himself. He had been all for getting Harry out of there as soon as possible, but Dumbledore had been adamant at waiting.

"He didn't… hit you, did he?" Sirius demanded, sharing furious looks with Remus who was just as shaken up about all this as he was.

"Nah" well Harry certainly knew how to be comforting, Sirius thought grimly. That nonchalant tone only made him wonder how often stuff like this happened. He hoped to Merlin it wasn't more than he already feared.

**"I didn't do anything to him, it wasn't me, it was –"**

**But at that precise moment a screech owl swooped in through the kitchen window. Narrowly missing the top of Uncle Vernon's head, it soared across the kitchen, dropped the large parchment envelope it was carrying in its beak at Harry's feet, turned gracefully, the tips of its wings just brushing the top of the fridge, then zoomed outside again and off across the garden.**

"**OWLS!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, the well-worn vein in his temple pulsing angrily as he slammed the kitchen window shut. "OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE OWLS IN MY HOUSE!"**

"Well I guess the title makes sense now" Ron said feebly, still thinking of all the hints that had been dropped in the last two chapters alone of how horrible Harry's relatives were. He glanced at Hermione who was gnawing on her lower lip distraughtly.

"He's fine. We know he is" He whispered, patting her knee awkwardly, smiling when she glanced at him before glancing at Harry and then back at him.

"How did we never realize? Why didn't he tell us? Why… it's just so horrible" Ron's eyes widened slightly when he noticed her eyes glistening, and he looked around himself frantically, quickly trying to find something to distract her with. He really didn't know how to handle crying girls, even less crying Hermione.

"It'll be okay. Harry is tough, and he's got us. And Sirius" They both glanced over to Harry. Sirius was holding Harry close, hugging his shoulders tightly, whispering something to each other. Harry seemed to be calming Sirius down, something that Ron understood completely.

"He'll be okay. Don't worry. And we'll talk to him later" Hermione whispered.

**But Harry was already ripping open the envelope and pulling out the letter inside, his heart pounding somewhere in the region of his Adam's apple.**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We have received intelligence **

"We wish!" the twins burst out. Arthur chuckled and even Dumbledore smiled as Ginny, Ron and Harry laughed along with Fred and George. It seemed like Harry wasn't the only one doing the calming down, Harry did look a bit less gloomy suddenly Ginny noted.

Even Snape could feel his muscles fighting a smirk.

**that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle.**

**The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.**

"You were EXPELLED!"Hermione cried, staring at Harry stunned. She hadn't known that little fact before, and Harry had thought it quite irrelative when he finally talked to her again. Ron was also looking quite shocked. Hogwarts without Harry, it was just… wrong.

"Yeah, but not for that long really" Harry explained quite feebly, covering under the hard gaze of one very angry Hermione Granger.

"Well pup, it was very nice knowing you" Sirius chuckled into his hair, but still not loosening his grip on his shoulders. He seemed to have decided to try and not worry for his godson, but as he had mastered his voice he didn't really seem to be able to let go of Harry just yet, and Harry wasn't really sure if he even wanted Sirius to.

Hermione saw this and glared at Harry for one last time before settling back besides Ron who was still very hard trying to think of Harry _not _at Hogwarts. He just belonged there.

Fred and George were trying very hard not to comment, seeing the warning glance of their mother, and the everlasting glare of Snape.

**Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.**

"They can't do that! How are you supposed to defend yourself?" Mrs. Weasley was furious, but she had tried very hard to keep calm throughout this wretched chapter. But snapping the wand of the Boy Who Lived? Just after a dementor attack no less! That poor, poor boy. He must have absolutely terrified.

**As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August.**

**Hoping you are well,**

Ginny scoffed. "Hope you are well… honestly"

**Yours sincerely,**

**Mafalda Hopkirk**

**Improper Use of Magic Office**

**Ministry of Magic**

**Harry read the letter through twice. He was only vaguely aware of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia talking. Inside his head, all was icy and numb. One fact had penetrated his consciousness like a paralyzing dart. He was expelled from Hogwarts. It was all over. He was never going back.**

**He looked up at the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon was purple-faced, shouting, his fists still raised; Aunt Petunia had her arms around Dudley, who was retching again. Harry's temporarily stupefied brain seemed to reawaken. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand. There was only one thing for it. He would have to run - now.**

"No, stay put! You were just attacked by dementors, you have no idea if they're still in the area, or whoever sent them" Remus was finally cracking, and all the forced calmness he had been practising was finally wavering, even if just a bit.

"Prof- Remus, this has already happened. I'm fine, and I clearly have my old wand" Harry smiled at Lupin, who smiled faintly back, even though his fists were still clenched. It felt good to know how much Sirius and Remus really cared.

**Where he was going to go, Harry didn't know, but he was certain of one thing: at Hogwarts or outside it, he needed his wand. In an almost dream like state, he pulled his wand out and turned to leave the kitchen.**

"**Where d'you think you're going?" yelled Uncle Vernon. When Harry didn't reply, he pounded across the kitchen to block the doorway into the hall. "I haven't finished with you, boy!"**

"Oh shut it, bloody bastard"

"Ronald Bilius! This is your final warning, hold your tongue!" Mrs. Weasley cried, pointing her wand threateningly at Ron , who remembered quite vividly the last time his mother had decided to clean out his mouth, she was after all quite adapt at casting 'scorgify'.

"**Get out of the way," said Harry quietly.**

"Ooh, determined Harry. Nothing will stop you now!" George said brightly.

"Hex him!" the twins cried out together, Ginny looking like she quite agreed sitting between them.

"**You're going to stay here and explain how my son-"**

"**If you don't get out of the way I'm going to jinx you," said Harry, raising the wand.**

"Harry…"

"**You can't pull that one on me!" snarled Uncle Vernon. "I know you're not allowed to use it outside that madhouse you call a school!"**

There were angry hisses around the room, all directed at the book. Even Snape felt like cursing that insufferable muggle. Who was he to call it a madhouse? Judge yourself before you judge others.

"**The madhouse has chucked me out," said Harry. "So I can do whatever I like. You've got three seconds. One - two -"**

"Don't do it Harry, he may deserve it but you'll be in even more trouble than you already are!" Sirius cried out, making Harry jerk away in surprise as Sirius shouted straight into his ear. He rubbed his head and scowled at his godfather who was sheepishly smiling at him.

The twins on the other hand were cheering Harry on.

"Do it, do it, do it, do it" Harry almost cracked a smile at their hopeful faces.

"I didn't, so no need to shout" He glared at Sirius. He snickered at Fred's and George's identical pouts.

**A resounding CRACK filled the kitchen. Aunt Petunia screamed, 'Hide!' Uncle Vernon yelled and ducked, but for the third time that night Harry was searching for the source of a disturbance he had not made. He spotted it at once: a dazed and ruffled-looking barn owl was sitting outside on the kitchen sill, having just collided with the closed window.**

**Ignoring Uncle Vernon's anguished yell of 'OWLS!' **

"Does he ever just shut up!" Ron exclaimed, beyond annoyed.

"Not really, or when he eats but that's about it" Uncle Vernon really liked to make his opinion know, and more often than not very loudly.

**Harry crossed the room at a run and wrenched the window open. The owl stuck out its leg, to which a small roll of parchment was tied, shook its leathers, and took off the moment Harry had taken the letter. Hands shaking, Harry unfurled the second message, which was written very hastily and blotchily in black ink.**

**Harry —**

**Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE. DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND.**

"The best piece of advice you could get at the moment" Remus said, trying very hard not to think of how close it was that Harry would have run away, and missed that letter.

**Arthur Weasley**

"Thank you Arthur" Sirius said quietly, trying to rain in his speculative thoughts. Harry had not run away, he had not been attack by death eaters, no more dementors; Voldemort had not swooped down and killed his godson.

Mr. Weasley nodded at Sirius and Remus. Without that letter Harry could be dead.

**Dumbledore was trying to sort it all out… what did that mean? How much power did Dumbledore have to override the Ministry of Magic?**

"Enough" Dumbledore said, breaking most people from their thoughts. Sirius was still glaring at him, and he wasn't the only one. Sirius wanted to yell at Dumbledore some more, but he was still one of the most powerful wizards in the world, even Sirius had to admit that, and like it or not, Dumbledore was the head of the order, and human.

**Was there a chance that he might be allowed back to Hogwarts, then? A small shoot of hope burgeoned in Harry's chest, almost immediately strangled by panic - how was he supposed to refuse to surrender his wand without doing magic? He'd have to duel with the Ministry representatives, and if he did that, he'd be lucky to escape Azkaban, let alone expulsion.**

"And you actually think you could succeed?" Snape demanded. That stupid brat was so used to getting whatever he wanted; he thought he could win a duel against fully trained ministry aurors.

It would be safe to say no one really paid attention to him. He could securely bet that no one would even remember his presence if it wasn't for the little fact that he was holding the book.

**His mind was racing… he could run for it and risk being captured by the Ministry, or stay put and wait for them to find him here. He was much more tempted by the former course, but he knew Mr. Weasley had his best interests at heart… and after all, Dumbledore had sorted out much worse than this before.**

"Yes, good pup. Listen to the _rational _part of your brain for this one!" Harry's panicked thoughts weren't helping his mood at all, and to think that he was probably right about the Ministry was plummeting the atmosphere in the room even further.

"Oh, the one that speaks like Remus?" Sirius narrowed his eyes at hi godson teasingly. It was quite clear what part of Harry's brain spoke like him.

"Rub it in, will you?"

"**Right," Harry said, "I've changed my mind, I'm staying."**

"Your mood swings were just as spectacular back then, they just don't know how to handle them" Ron laughed, ignoring the betrayed glare his best mate sent his way.

"Yeah, and you do? I seem to remember something else…" Ginny snorted disbelievingly from the couch, rolling her eyes with Hermione.

"That must have really shocked them, they were expecting a fight" Remus mused, his only regret that it took much more shock to cause heart failure.

"I suppose so, any other time I've would have hexed them" Harry mumbled, not really believing it himself. He was too careful since that incident with Dobby, so accidental magic would have been his only choice.

**He flung himself down at the kitchen table and faced Dudley and Aunt Petunia. The Dursleys appeared taken aback at his abrupt change of mind. Aunt Petunia glanced despairingly at Uncle Vernon. The vein in his purple temple was throbbing worse than ever.**

"Explode, explode, explode" the twins chanted hopefully, making Harry snort.

"**Who are all these ruddy owls from?" he growled.**

"**The first one was from the Ministry of Magic, expelling me," **

"Not maybe the best thing to say to them" Sirius whispered worriedly so only his godson could hear, he really didn't want to set someone off. Even as he was one of the biggest risk of exploding.

**said Harry calmly. He was straining his ears to catch any noises outside, in case the Ministry representatives were approaching, and it was easier and quieter to answer Uncle Vernon's questions than to have him start raging and bellowing. "The second one was from my friend Ron's dad, who works at the Ministry."**

"**Ministry of Magic?" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "People like you in government! Oh, this explains everything, everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs."**

"Yep, our fault and you are a model citizen! Honestly, the nerve of that walrus of a man!" Remus muttered angrily to himself, ignoring the faintly amused look Padfoot directed his way.

**When Harry did not respond, Uncle Vernon glared at him, then spat out, "And why have you been expelled?"**

"**Because I did magic."**

"Harry…" almost everyone groaned miserably. Sirius cuffed his godson lightly on the ear.

"Are you stupid? Maybe there was more of Prongs brain in there after all. Why would you say something like that?" Harry shrugged rubbing his ear, glaring at everyone who dared to snicker, mainly Ron and the twins.

"**AHA!" roared Uncle Vernon, slamming his fist down on top of the fridge, which sprang open; several of Dudley's low-fat snacks toppled out and burst on the floor. "So you admit it! What did you do to Dudley?"**

"**Nothing," said Harry, slightly less calmly. "That wasn't me -"**

"**Was," muttered Dudley unexpectedly, and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia instantly made flapping gestures at Harry to quieted him while they both bent low over Dudley.**

"**Go on, son," said Uncle Vernon, "what did he do?"**

"**Tell us, darling," whispered Aunt Petunia.**

"**Pointed his wand at me," Dudley mumbled.**

"**Yeah, I did, but I didn't use -" Harry began angrily, but –**

"**SHUT UP!" roared Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia in unison.**

"Yeah, don't let the one person who actually knows what happened explain!" Hermione said furiously, quite fed up with everything that mentioned Harry's relatives. All this was making Harry withdraw again.

"Don't they ever let you defend yourself?" Ginny asked quietly, watching Harry closely. He seemed to shrug unceremoniously glancing at her for a moment before looking at his feet again. They all took that as a 'no', and almost everyone turned to glare at Dumbledore once again. Except Sirius and Hermione who wouldn't take their gaze off Harry.

"**Go on, son," repeated Uncle Vernon, moustache blowing about furiously.**

"**All went dark," Dudley said hoarsely, shuddering. "Everything dark. And then I h-heard… things. Inside m-my head."**

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia exchanged looks of utter horror. If their least favourite thing in the world was magic - closely followed by neighbours who cheated more than they did on the hosepipe ban - people who heard voices were definitely in the bottom ten.**

"I can see that they certainly have their priorities right!" Fred muttered. These muggles seemed even more disgusting that he had first thought when they had gone with Mr. Weasley and Ron to get Harry the summer before the last.

**They obviously thought Dudley was losing his mind.**

"I wish…" could be heard around the room.

"**What sort of things did you hear, Popkin?" breathed Aunt Petunia, very white-faced and with tears in her eyes.**

**But Dudley seemed incapable of saying. He shuddered again and shook his large blond head, and despite the sense of numb dread that had settled on Harry since the arrival of the first owl, he felt a certain curiosity. Dementors caused a person to relive the worst moments of their life. What would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?**

"Certainly a very good question, any guesses Harry?" Fred mused, grinning evilly at his twin brother.

"Well Dudley's always been terrified of magic after that time with Hagrid… so I guess something along those lines" Harry said uncertainly, he had never put that much thought into it, he usually tried to think of the Dursley's as little as possible.

"Hmm, that should be manageable… Gred?"

"Yes, it does sound quite promising Forge"

"You are not going to do anything! Do you hear me, you are going to regret it dearly" Molly warned, watching her smirking sons, oblivious to the thumbs up her husband was showing behind her back. Ginny snorted into her hand, and Mrs. Weasley turned her gaze to her only daughter.

"Yes, Ginerva?" Molly said looking at Ginny expectantly. Ginny sobered up quickly, wiping the smiled of her face.

"Nothing"

"That's what I thought"

"**How come you fell over, son?" said Uncle Vernon, in an unnaturally quiet voice, the kind of voice he might adopt at the bedside of a very ill person.**

"**T-tripped," said Dudley shakily. "And then –"**

**He gestured at his massive chest. Harry understood. Dudley was remembering the clammy cold that filled the lungs as hope and happiness were sucked out of you.**

"**Horrible," croaked Dudley. "Cold. Really cold."**

"**Okay," said Uncle Vernon, in a voice of forced calm, while Aunt Petunia laid an anxious hand on Dudley's forehead to feel his temperature. "What happened then, Dudders?"**

"**Felt… felt… felt… as if… as if…"**

"**As if you'd never be happy again," Harry supplied dully.**

"**Yes," Dudley whispered, still trembling.**

"**So!" said Uncle Vernon, voice restored to full and considerable volume as he straightened up.**

"What's he doing now?" Ron asked apprehensively.

"Nothing too exiting, so why don't we just skip-"

"Good try pup, but we are reading this, like it or not" Harry glared at Sirius who looked back seriously. If Harry wasn't going to tell them this kind of stuff himself, they would have to read it to find out. It was all for the best in the end.

"**You put some crackpot spell on my son so he'd hear voices and believe he was - was doomed to misery, or something, did you?"**

"**How many times do I have to tell you?" said Harry, temper and voice both rising. "It wasn't me! It was a couple of Dementors!"**

"**A couple of - what's this codswallop?"**

"**De - men - tors," said Harry slowly and clearly. "Two of them."**

"**And what the ruddy hell are Dementors?"**

"**They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban," said Aunt Petunia.**

"What? How the bloody hell did she know that?" Ron cried, stunned. Everything about Harry's relatives this far was all about them ignoring and fearing everything magical, so how did Harry's aunt suddenly know what a dementor was?

"Well she was my mother's sister" Harry said quietly, not meeting anyone's eyes. That one time had been the only time in his life when he had felt truly connected with his aunt. The first time he had known that he wasn't the only one at Privet Drive who knew what a monster Voldemort was. Sad really that it hadn't lasted longer than that. Harry hated his aunt.

**Two seconds of ringing silence followed these words before Aunt Petunia clapped her hand over her mouth as though she had let slip a disgusting swear word. Uncle Vernon was goggling at her.**

**Harry's brain reeled. Mrs. Figg was one thing - but Aunt Petunia?**

"**How d'you know that?" he asked her, astonished.**

Snape glared at the book in his hands. Petunia had always been very jealous about Lily's beauty and grace, and had evidently become even bitterer since that last time he had seen her all those years ago. How had he been so wrong about Potter's life before Hogwarts, when he knew how vicious Petunia could be? She abandoned her own sister, would she really hesitate to do the same to her niece? Snape glanced at the black haired teen, and for the first time, and maybe last, he truly saw the abused little boy that had set foot in the castle for the first time in his life.

**Aunt Petunia looked quite appalled with herself. She glanced at Uncle Vernon in fearful apology, then lowered her hand slightly to reveal her horsy teeth.**  
>"<strong>I heard - that awful boy – telling her about them - years ago," she said jerkily.<strong>

"What awful boy? It couldn't have been James, I know for a fact he never met Petunia, he told us that she was out of the country at the time, something about a holiday in Majorca I think. So who could it have been?" Sirius muttered confusedly.  
>Snape scowled as Dumbledore's eyes turned his way, silently motioning for him to speak up. Like hell he would! He was not going to talk about Lily with the brat, who was even now watching him curiously. He snarled, satisfied when the boy turned his head back towards his mutt of a godfather. Dumbledore shook his head sadly, and something like regret flashed in his mentor's eyes, but it was gone before Snape could be sure.<p>

"**If you mean my mum and dad, why don't you use their names?" said Harry loudly, but Aunt**  
><strong>Petunia ignored him. She seemed horribly flustered.<strong>  
><strong>Harry was stunned. Except for one outburst years ago, in the course of which Aunt Petunia had screamed that Harry's mother had been a freak; he had never heard her mention her sister.<strong>

"Lily was not a freak! You horrid bit-" Sirius started angrily but was cut off.

"Sirius Black, remember there are children present" Molly scolded, and normally Sirius would have let her be, but he was too riled up from this chapter already, and that final condescending reproach, sent him into a red haze, something very similar to that night of their last shouting match.

"I can say that she is a bitch if I so want to! Lily was never a freak, and to have your aunt scream that in your face? And you can't think that your children have never heard a bad word before, they are teenagers for Merlin's sake, and you can't go on Molly-coddling them forever! And-"Sirius looked down abruptly when he could feel someone tugging on his robe. He met the wide eyes of his godson, and the anger seemed to leak out of him in a blink of an eye.

He looked around himself, and saw Mrs. Weasley, who had gone quite pale; and lower lip trembling slightly. He nodded apologetically at Arthur when his wife slung herself on him, sobbing slightly. He sighed but smiled faintly, murmuring soothingly in her ear.

The rest of the room had gone deathly quiet, the Weasley children looking at him quite stunned not really knowing what to think, and Harry, his godson was pleading him with his eyes to calm down and sit. Sirius didn't need much persuasion, one more feeble tug and widened eyes and he was composed enough to nod at Snape to continue.

He sat down again, he hadn't noticed that he had stood up in the first place, and swung his arm around his godson again. It seemed like a calm anchor, and he shrugged at Moony when the werewolf looked at him a bit accusingly. He didn't really regret what he had said, it was not anything that wasn't true, but maybe he had been a bit harsh about it. He would have to apologize later.

Snape, who had been equally as furious as Sirius, and unbeknownst to him Harry, had longed to have a similar outburst. Mrs. Weasley was a mother trough and trough, but she really needed boundaries set for helping your child and putting them in more danger. No, he wasn't saying that they should let the children know everything, but how many plans could be messed up if they didn't know what they were fighting. And that brat always seemed to find a way to screw it up for himself and for his friends. It was a miracle they were still alive. But Molly Weasley never seemed to realize this.

**He was astounded that she had remembered this scrap of information about the magical world for so long, when she usually put all her energies into pretending it didn't exist.**

Harry was desperately trying to calm down. The shouting had been a surprise and unwelcome memories of similar situations with his uncle starring, had popped unwelcome to his mind. He knew Sirius would never say things like his uncle, but still all he could hear was 'freak, freak, freak' repeated again and again. He clutched his godfather's robe tighter, ignoring the eyes of Hermione and Ron he could feel staring into his back.

**Uncle Vernon opened his mouth, closed it again, opened it once more, shut it, then, apparently struggling to remember how to talk, opened it for a third time and croaked, "So - so - they - er - they - er - they actually exist, do they - er - Dementy-whatsits?"**

"Merlin, how stupid can you get?" Fred, who saw the distracted state how his mother as an opportunity, wasted no time composing his shocked self. George snapped his gaping mouth shut, glancing around the room, before his eyes landed on Harry, who suddenly seemed paler than usual. He nodded back at his twin.

**Aunt Petunia nodded.** **Uncle Vernon looked from Aunt Petunia to Dudley to Harry as if hoping somebody was going to shout 'April Fool!'**

George dearly wished to shout it out, but didn't feel like upsetting his mother more than necessary. And his father didn't look the best either. No, maybe it was best to sit quietly for a while, let his parents regroup. And by watching the others in the room, he came to the conclusion that an interruption wouldn't be appreciated.

**When nobody did, he opened his mouth yet again, but was spared the struggle to find more words by the arrival of the third owl of the evening. It zoomed through the still-open window like a feathery cannon-ball and landed with a clatter on the kitchen table, causing all three of the Dursleys to jump with fright. Harry tore a second official-looking envelope from the owl's beak and ripped it open as the owl swooped back out into the night.**

"**Enough - effing - owls," muttered Uncle Vernon distractedly, stomping over to the window and slamming it shut again.**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**  
><strong>Further to our letter of approximately twenty-two minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised its decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wand until your disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August, at which time an official decision will be taken.<strong>  
><strong>Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further enquiries.<strong>  
><strong>With best wishes,<strong>  
><strong>Yours sincerely,<strong>  
><strong>Mafalda Hopkirk<strong>  
><strong>Improper Use of Magic Office<strong>  
><strong>Ministry of Magic<strong>

**Harry read this letter through three times in quick succession. The miserable knot in his chest loosened slightly with the relief of Knowing he was not yet definitely expelled, though his fears were by no means banished. Everything seemed to hang on this hearing on the twelfth of August.**

"He got off, he got off, he got off-"

"Boys, quiet" the calm voice of Mr. Weasley cut them off, and both Fred and George complied to their fathers request immediately. There was no kidding around when he used that voice. They would have to come up with something else.

"**Well?" said Uncle Vernon, recalling Harry to his surroundings. "What now? Have they sentenced you to anything? Do your lot have the death penalty?" he added as a hopeful afterthought.**

"Is he thinking what I think he is?" Remus whispered furiously, glaring daggers at the book. Sirius was in no better state, because that sounded like a death wish, right there. Harry really had some explaining to do.

"**I've got to go to a hearing," said Harry.**

"**And they'll sentence you there?"**

"**I suppose so."**

"**I won't give up hope, then," said Uncle Vernon nastily.**

"He wants you to be sentenced to death! I will rip-" Sirius was too angry for words and only glared coldly at the book in Snape's hand. Remus didn't seem to have the same problem, and was furiously muttering all his plans for the new moon.

"He really said that? Harry, why…" Hermione was once again on the verge of tears, and Ginny was looking at Harry desperately. He was alive and there, nothing wrong except some very unnatural looking paleness and the vice like grip on Sirius's robes.

"It's nothing really, it's just something he likes to say" Harry murmured, trying to reassure them, but unintentionally doing the opposite.

"Mate, he just said you should be killed. It's not-"

"Yeah I know, Ron. I was there!" Ron looked stunned at the sudden sharp retort, but composed himself rather quickly, pushing the hurt aside. Harry was grimacing clutching his head, obviously already beating up himself for snapping, and Ron frowned. This was really wearing Harry out, and he just wasn't sure anymore.

"**Well, if that's all," said Harry, getting to his feet. He was desperate to be alone, to think, perhaps to send a letter to Ron, Hermione or Sirius.**

"Yes, do that pup. Tell me to come there and rip some Dursley's apart!" Sirius tried feebly to cheer up his godson, who was holding his head in his hands.

"What is it Harry? Something wrong?" he whispered into the dark hair so only Harry could hear, and was even more concerned when the only reply he got was a faint 'I'm fine'.

"Harry…" He tried to turn Harry's head to look at him, but Harry just jerked his chin away, defiantly staring down at the floor. Sirius frowned but decided to let it go, for now.

"**NO, IT RUDDY WELL IS NOT ALL!" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "SIT BACK DOWN!"**

"**What now?" said Harry impatiently.**

"**DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon. "I want to know exactly what happened to my son!"**

"**FINE!" yelled Harry, and in his temper, red and gold sparks shot out of the end of his wand, still clutched in his hand. All three Dursleys flinched, looking terrified.**

Everyone was watching Harry in varying stages of concern, but he stayed oblivious to the stares, too lost in his own head to notice anything going on.

"**Dudley and I were in the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk," said Harry, speaking fast, fighting to control his temper. "Dudley thought he'd be smart with me, I pulled out my wand but didn't use it. Then two Dementors turned up —"**

"**But what ARE Dementoids?"**

"It really isn't that hard…" Ginny muttered to herself, trying very hard not to be affected by the palpable tension in the room.

**asked Uncle Vernon furiously. "What do they DO?"**

"**I told you - they suck all the happiness out of you," said Harry, "and if they get the chance, they kiss you -**  
>"<strong>Kiss you?" said Uncle Vernon, his eyes popping slightly. "Kiss you?"<strong>

George glanced around the room, and decided that he should wait a bit more before trying to cut the tension again. He rather liked being alive, and by the warning look Ron and Hermione were directing his way, he surmised he wouldn't be for long if he opened his mouth now.

But oh, all the opportunities passing by. He exchanged a long suffering look with his twin over Ginny's head, but miraculously they stayed quiet.

"**It's what they call it when they suck the soul out of your mouth."** **Aunt Petunia uttered a soft scream.**

"**His soul? They didn't take - he's still got his -"** **She seized Dudley by the shoulders and shook him, as though testing to see whether she could hear his soul rattling around inside him.**

"Good luck with that" Harry muttered quietly, not letting his eyes stray from the very interesting hole in the carpet. Sirius tightened his grip on Harry's shoulders, bringing him closer to his side; he didn't know what else he could do. But in some small way, this seemed to help Harry pull back a little to the world around him, and Sirius could feel the hand in his robes flexing slightly. It went unnoticed by the rest of the room, but Sirius felt Harry come back to them from whatever fucked up place his mind had created.

"**Of course they didn't get his soul, you'd know if they had," said Harry, exasperated.**

"Nah, I'm not so sure about that" Fred said, carefully gauging the reactions in the room. Bloody hell! They all looked like they wanted to kill him. Harry and Dumbledore were the only two people in the room that didn't seem to be glaring at him. As it was, Harry's face was buried into Sirius's shoulder and Dumbledore was watching them with something like sorrow in his eyes. Sirius didn't let it go unnoticed though and moved his glare from the red-haired twin; he always had trouble telling them apart, to Dumbledore, a silent challenge in his eyes.

"**Fought 'em off, did you, son?" said Uncle Vernon loudly, with the appearance of a man struggling to bring the conversation back on to a plane he understood. "Gave 'em the old one-two, did you?"**

"Harry just told you that he did the Patronus and saved your son! How thick can you be?" Ron said angrily, and then hurriedly avoided the elbow Hermione had directed at his stomach.

"Shut up Ron!" She hissed angrily, shooting glances Harry's way. Ron looked over too and winced. Yeah, maybe he should take his own advice and keep quiet.

"**You can't give a Dementor the old one-two," said Harry through clenched teeth.**

"**Why's he all right, then?" blustered Uncle Vernon. "Why isn't he all empty, then?"**

"**Because I used the Patronus -"**

**WHOOSH. With a clattering, a whirring of wings and a soft fall of dust, a fourth owl came shooting out of the kitchen fireplace.**

"All those owls really aren't helping your situation right now" Sirius muttered, worried that the walrus was going to get angrier than he already was, he feared that there was more that Harry wasn't telling.

"**FOR GOD'S SAKE!" roared Uncle Vernon, pulling great clumps of hair out of his moustache, something he hadn't been driven to do in a long time. "I WILL NOT HAVE OWLS HERE, I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS, I TELL YOU!"**

**But Harry was already pulling a roll of parchment from the owl's leg. He was so convinced that this letter had to be from Dumbledore, explaining everything - the Dementors, Mrs. Figg, what the Ministry was up to, how he, Dumbledore, intended to sort everything out - that for the first time in his life he was disappointed to see Sirius's handwriting.**

Sirius winced. Oh, it had been his letter. Harry noticed the sudden tension in his godfather, but didn't comment.

**Ignoring Uncle Vernon's ongoing rant about owls, and narrowing his eyes against a second cloud of dust as the most recent owl look off back up the chimney, Harry read Sirius's message.**

**Arthur's just told us what's happened. Don't leave the house again, whatever you do.**

"That letter kind of sucked" Sirius admitted, Harry nodding into his shoulder slightly. Sirius sighed, and glanced helplessly at Remus. What was he supposed to do? Harry wasn't responding properly to anything! Hopefully the next chapter wouldn't be as… bad as the first's ones.

**Harry found this such an inadequate response to everything that had happened tonight that he turned the piece of parchment over, looking for the rest of the letter,**

"That really doesn't show how furious Sirius was. He almost killed Dung, and we had to physically stop him from coming there and taking you away." Remus murmured quietly, not wanting to interrupt Severus now that everyone else was quiet.

"Why did you?" Harry whispered, and Remus felt like he had been slapped. Why indeed? It had been Dumbledore's orders to leave Harry there alone for some more time… It sounded so pointless now. They should never have let Harry go back there in the first place! But how were they supposed to know?

**but there was nothing else.**  
><strong>And now his temper was rising again. Wasn't anybody going to say 'well done' for fighting off two Dementors single-handed? Both Mr. Weasley and Sirius were acting as though he'd misbehaved, and were saving their tellings-off until they could ascertain how much damage had been done.<strong>

"Well done Harry!" The twins and Ginny chorused from the couch, ignoring the withering glare from Snape, who was wondering if this chapter was ever going to end!

"Thanks guys" came the quiet answer from somewhere in Sirius's robes. Harry knew he was worrying his godfather, but he just wanted to hide for a while. Just ignore everything for now, and not have to deal with everything. He was always under pressure, nothing could be wrong for him. He was just the deranged lunatic everyone feared but they still wanted him to save them all in the end. He was sick off it. Sick of people glaring at him in the hallways or turning around completely instead of walking past him. Sick off the Daily Prophets articles, stating he and Dumbledore were both unhinged and touched in the head.

He just wanted to be left alone!

"…**A peck, I mean, pack of owls shooting in and out of my house. I won't have it, boy, I won't-"**

"**I can't stop the owls coming," Harry snapped, crushing Sirius's letter in his fist.**

**"I want the truth about what happened tonight!" bar ked Uncle Vernon. "If it was Demenders who hurt Dudley, how come you've been expelled? You did you-know-what, you've admitted it!"**  
><strong>Harry took a deep, steadying breath. His head was beginning to ache again. He wanted more than anything to get out of the kitchen, and away from the Dursleys.<strong>

"**I did the Patronus Charm to get rid of the Dementors," he said, forcing himself to remain calm.**

Snape raised his eyebrows slightly. That didn't sound like the brat at all. The cheeky Gryffindor was never one to let something go, or that was at least what he had been telling himself.

He realized suddenly that the only fights Potter had been in at school were with Malfoy, and even as he loathed admitting it, Draco probably deserved it. Even in class, Severus realized suddenly, Potter never did more than glare. He could do anything and the boy wouldn't do more than glare.

It did seem like it was Granger and Weasley fighting all the time, now that he thought about it.

He chose to ignore his thoughts as they carried on speculating, Potter was an insufferable cheeky brat, nothing would change that.

"**But what were Dementoids doing in Little Whinging?" said Uncle Vernon in an outraged tone.**

"**Couldn't tell you," said Harry wearily. "No idea."** **His head was pounding in the glare of the strip-lighting now. His anger was ebbing away. He felt drained, exhausted. The Dursleys were all staring at him.**

"**It's you," said Uncle Vernon forcefully. "It's got something to do with you, boy, I know else would they turn up here? Why else would they be down that alleyway? You've got to be the only - the only -" Evidently, he couldn't bring himself to say the word 'wizard'**

Hermione scoffed, but kept quiet. She really wanted to cry or rant but it wouldn't do right now. Harry wouldn't be able to handle it. She sighed, her anger draining out of her, her shoulders slumping slightly. It was all so horrible.

**"the only you know-what for miles."**

"**I don't know why they were here."**

**But at Uncle Vernon's words, Harry's exhausted brain had ground back into action. Why had the Dementors come to Little Whining? How could it be coincidence that they had arrived in the alleyway where Harry was? Had they been sent? Had the Ministry of Magic lost control of the Dementors? Had they deserted Azkaban and joined Voldemort, as Dumbledore had predicted they would?**

"**These Demembers guard some weirdo's prison?" asked Uncle Vernon, lumbering along in the wake of Harry's train of thought.**

"**Yes," said Harry. If only his head would stop hurting, if only he could just leave the kitchen and get to his dark bedroom and think…**

"**Oho! They were coming to arrest you!" said Uncle Vernon, with the triumphant air of a man reaching an unassailable conclusion. "That's it, isn't it, boy? You're on the run from the law!"**

"Where the bloody hell did he come up with that?" Ron couldn't help himself.

"Well, he doesn't approve of imagination so… I don't really know" Harry mumbled, trying in his own way to reassure Sirius that he was fine. Sirius squeezed his shoulders, and this time he managed to keep his flinch at bay.

George looked horrified at his twin, soundlessly mouthing 'Doesn't approve of imagination' disbelievingly.

"Merlin!" They both burst out, too appalled to keep quiet any longer.

"**Of course I'm not," said Harry, shaking his head as though to scare off a fly, his mind racing now.**

"**Then why -?"**

"**He must have sent them," said Harry quietly, more to himself than to Uncle Vernon.**

"**What's that? Who must have sent them?"**

"**Lord Voldemort,"**

A couple of people flinched when Snape read that name, but Snape ignored them. Harry didn't look like he had even noticed.

"You only thought of that now, Potter? Really wasn't that a quite obvious-"Snape leered at the boy, who was pathetically hiding his face in the dogs robes. What he wasn't prepared for though was when Potter turned his head, piercing emerald eyes staring him down so coldly, he almost felt a chill move in his gut. He glared but the effect was lost when Potter only looked hard at him, judging silently, with those eyes…

"Sorry, I was a little confused at the moment. My head was aching from Dudley punching me and hitting it on the window pane. I had also just been attacked by dementors, dragged home my cousin, been expelled and then told I was going to a hearing at the Ministry! You try it sometime" Sirius was rubbing his godson's shoulder soothingly and glaring at Snape at the same time, but the potions master didn't seem to pay him any attention. He only looked at Harry blankly before continuing.

**said Harry. He registered dimly how strange it was that the Dursleys, who flinched, winced and squawked if they heard words like 'wizard', 'magic' or 'wand', could hear the name of the most evil wizard of all time without the slightest tremor.**

"**Lord - hang on," said Uncle Vernon, his face screwed up, a look of dawning comprehension coming into his piggy eyes. "I've heard that name… that was the one who —"**

"**Murdered my parents, yes," Harry said dully.**

"**But he's gone," said Uncle Vernon impatiently, without the slightest sign that the murder of** **Harry's parents might be a painful topic.**

"Those heartless monsters! They are just so… so horrible!" Molly ground out furiously. Her face was streaked with tears, and Harry wondered briefly why she was crying. It really didn't make sense to him.

Sirius was clutching Harry's shoulders tightly, partly to be there for his godson, and partly to calm himself down. Remus was in no better shape. To say that to a fifteen year old boy, who has never known his parents, to Harry, who was practically family to Remus. His insides flared and he longed to punch something, but on the outside he just looked a bit more like the wolf he was once a month.

**"That giant bloke said so. He's gone."**

"**He's back," said Harry heavily. It felt very strange to be standing here in Aunt Petunia's surgically clean kitchen, beside the top of-the-range fridge and the wide-screen television, talking calmly of Lord Voldemort to Uncle Vernon. The arrival of the Dementors in Little Whinging seemed to have breached the great, invisible wall that divided the relentlessly non-magical world of Privet Drive and the world beyond, Harry's two lives had somehow become fused **

Dumbledore nodded to himself. That was what he had always tried to prevent, maybe not as extremely as Harry's relatives, he really should have a talk with Petunia, but just to give Harry even the slightest peace for at least a couple of weeks. The situation could still be fixed, he hoped. Privet Drive was the safest place to Harry except Hogwarts.

**and everything had been turned upside-down; the Dursleys were asking for details about the magical world, and Mrs. Figg knew Albus Dumbledore; Dementors were soaring around Little Whinging, and he might never return to Hogwarts. Harry's head throbbed more painfully.**

"**Back?" whispered Aunt Petunia.**

**She was looking at Harry as she had never looked at him before. And all of a sudden, for the very first time in his life, Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister. **

And it only took fourteen years, Sirius thought bitterly to himself, glancing down at his godson who he had missed so much time with, so many years of memories gone, just because he had been so stupid. So, so stupid.

**He could not have said why this hit him so very powerfully at this moment. All he knew was that he was not the only person in the room who had an inkling of what Lord Voldemort being back might mean.**

**Aunt Petunia had never in her life looked at him like that before. Her large, pale eyes (so unlike her sister's) were not narrowed in dislike or anger, they were wide and fearful.**  
><strong>The furious pretence that Aunt Petunia had maintained all Harry's life - that there was no magic and no world other than the world she inhabited with Uncle Vernon - seemed to have fallen away.<strong>

"**Yes," Harry said, talking directly to Aunt Petunia now. "He came back a month ago. I saw him."**  
><strong>Her hands found Dudley's massive leather-clad shoulders and clutched them.<strong>

"**Hang on," said Uncle Vernon, looking from his wife to Harry and back again, apparently dazed and confused by the unprecedented understanding that seemed to have sprung up between them.**

"**Hang on. This Lord Voldything's back, you say."**

Snape scoffed derisively. This muggle was the stupidest person he had ever encountered.

"**Yes."**

"**The one who murdered your parents." **

The book was hit with so many glares, that it was miracle it was still intact. Harry ignored everything.

"**Yes."**

"**And now he's sending Dismembers after you?"**

Fred and George snorted, before covering under their mothers puffy eyed glare.

"**Looks like it," said Harry.**

"**I see," said Uncle Vernon, looking from his white - faced wife to Harry and hitching up his trousers. He seemed to be swelling, his great purple face stretching before Harry's eyes. "Well, that settles it," he said, his shirt front straining as he inflated himself, "you can get out of this house, boy!"**

"WHAT!" Sirius and Ron shouted, Ron almost jumped off the couch, but was stopped by Hermione's hand on his knee, restraining him silently. Sirius on the other hand was pacing the room, too furious for coherent thoughts, but a few persistent words were floating around in his head. Harry watched him blankly, before looking at Remus, but he quickly looked away. Remus was staring at him sadly, rage overpowered by pity and sadness. Harry hated pity.

"Harry you never told us he almost kicked you out" Hermione demanded quietly, relieved when he turned to look at her.

"Didn't seem important at the moment" Harry shrugged, trying to keep his voice as indifferent as possible. Hermione's frown and Ron's scowl showed that he hadn't done as good a job as he had hoped.

"Sirius, try to calm down. We still need to finish this" Dumbledore said gently, but his unnaturally cold voice showed that he was not as unaffected as would it seemed. Sirius glared but sat down reluctantly, pressing Harry back into his side, holding so tightly that the teen was barely able to move.

"**What?" said Harry.**

**"You heard me - OUT!" Uncle Vernon bellowed, and even Aunt Petunia and Dudley jumped.**

"**OUT! OUT! I should've done this years ago! Owls treating the place like a rest home, puddings exploding, half the lounge destroyed, Dudley's tail, Marge bobbing around on the ceiling and that flying Ford Anglia - OUT! OUT! You've had it! You're history! You're not staying here if some loony's after you, you're not endangering my wife and son, you're not bringing trouble down on us. If you're going the same way as your useless parents, I've had it! OUT!"**

"Puddings exploding, Marge bobbing around… on the ceiling? Flying Ford?" Sirius was trying very hard to keep calm, and at the same time distract his godson and maybe himself.

"I'll tell you later" Sirius was going to hold Harry to that.

**Harry stood rooted to the spot. The letters from the Ministry, Mr. Weasley and Sirius were all crushed in his left hand. Don't leave the house again, whatever you do. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE.**

"Listen to them Harry! You can't leave the house, whatever you do!" Molly cried out, so angry at that muggle, sending his only nephew away, when he had just come home from an attack, they couldn't even know if the attacker was still there.

"Mrs. Weasley, you do remember that this has already happened. I'm fine" Molly blushed a little, her cheeks colouring red in embarrassment.

"I'm just so worried, Harry dear"

**"You heard me!" said Uncle Vernon, bending forward now, his massive purple face coming so close to Harry's, he actually felt flecks of spit hit his face. "Get going! You were all keen to leave half an hour ago! I'm right behind you! Get out and never darken our doorstep again! Why we ever kept you in the first place, I don't know, Marge was right; it should have been the orphanage. We were too damn soft for our own good, thought we could squash it out of you, thought we could turn you normal, but you've been rotten from the beginning and I've had enough - owls!"**

"Too soft, squash it out of you… Harry, please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does?" Sirius pleaded miserably, looking desperately at his godson. But Harry didn't say anything, confirming Sirius's worst suspicions.

The room was quiet for a beat, and a tear slid down Hermione's cheek, her hand clasped tightly in Ron's. Sirius hugged Harry securely, Remus placing a reassuring hand on both of their shoulders. This was all just too much.

Snape was watching them, furious that a filthy muggle could even hurt a child that way, even if it was Potter, no one deserved that.

Dumbledore was unusually firm; his eyes shuttered shut no emotion on his face, but his thoughts galloping around his head. Harry, the dear boy, so trusting and brave, and just plain good, had been treated like scum by the people he should be able to call family. A family Dumbledore had placed him in.

Squash it out. The words rang clearly in his mind, sending unwanted pictures to the front, reminding him of his biggest mistakes, that he just seemed to be repeating.

**The fifth owl zoomed down the chimney so fast it actually hit the floor before zooming into the air again with a loud screech. Harry raised his hand to seize the letter, which was in a scarlet envelope, but it soared straight over his head, flying directly at Aunt Petunia, who let out a scream and ducked, her arms over her face. The owl dropped the red envelope on her head, turned, and flew straight back up the chimney.**

**Harry darted forwards to pick up the letter, but Aunt Petunia beat him to it.**

"**You can open it if you like," said Harry, "but I'll hear what it says anyway. That's a Howler."**

"Who would send your aunt a howler?" Ginny asked, but she didn't receive an answer. And she thought that was maybe good too. They all looked ready to explode, and she wouldn't want it to be at her.

"**Let go of it, Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "Don't touch it, it could be dangerous!"**

"**It's addressed to me," said Aunt Petunia in a shaking voice. "It's addressed to me, Vernon, look! Mrs. Petunia Dursley, The Kitchen, Number Four, Privet Drive –"** **She caught her breath, horrified. The red envelope had begun to smoke.**

"**Open it!' Harry urged her. "Get it over with! It'll happen anyway."**

"**No."** **Aunt Petunia's hand was trembling. She looked wildly around the kitchen as though looking for an escape route, but too late -the envelope burst into flames. Aunt Petunia screamed and dropped it.** **An awful voice filled the kitchen, echoing in the confined space, issuing from the burning letter on the table.**

**Remember my last, Petunia.**

"And what's that supposed to mean?" George asked, his fists clenched on his legs, and barely able to speak without his voice shaking with rage. That muggle had hurt Harry. Their friend, their brothers' friend, their brother. They would all regret it; they would wish they had never even laid eyes on Harry.

No one answered him, except a blank look from Harry. George winced.

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she might faint. She sank into the chair beside Dudley, her face in her hands. The remains of the envelope smouldered into ash in the silence.**

"**What is this?" Uncle Vernon said hoarsely. "What - I don't -Petunia?"**

**Aunt Petunia said nothing. Dudley was staring stupidly at his mother, his mouth hanging open.** **The silence spiraled horribly. Harry was watching his aunt, utterly bewildered, his head throbbing fit to burst.**

"**Petunia, dear?" said Uncle Vernon timidly. "P-Petunia?"** **She raised her head. She was still trembling. She swallowed.**

"**The boy - the boy will have to stay, Vernon," she said weakly.**

"**W-what?"**

"**He stays," she said. She was not looking at Harry. She got to her feet again.**

"**He… but Petunia…"**

"**If we throw him out, the neighbors will talk," she said. She was rapidly regaining her usual brisk, snappish manner, though she was still very pale. "They'll ask awkward questions, they'll want to know where he's gone. We'll have to keep him."** **Uncle Vernon was deflating like an old tire.**

"Yes, don't even pretend to care for him, it's all about you!" Hermione muttered, wiping tears from her cheeks. Harry, her best friend, had suffered all these years, and he had never told anyone. It was all so maddening she wanted to… to… ARGH! She couldn't stand this! She would have hugged Harry again, but didn't think Sirius was quite ready to let go.

"**But Petunia, dear –"**

**Aunt Petunia ignored him. She turned to Harry. "You're to stay in your room," she said. "You're not to leave the house. Now get to bed."** **Harry didn't move.**

"**Who was that Howler from?"**

"Harry, I really think you should listen to her, just this once mate"

"Yeah, I know" Harry sighed. He should have realized he wasn't getting anymore information from his aunt. She was too tight sealed about anything that something of this magnitude would never cross her lips again.

"**Don't ask questions," Aunt Petunia snapped.**

"**Are you in touch with wizards?"**

"**I told you to get to bed!"**

"**What did it mean? Remember the last what?"**

"**Go to bed!"**

"**How come -?"**

"Harry, before they get angry again" Remus groaned. This really wasn't shaping to be the best of days. They would definitely have to take a break sometime soon.

"**YOU HEARD YOUR AUNT, NOW GET TO BED!"**

"That is the end of the chapter" Snape announced, sliding the book along the table, as far away as possible. There were several sighs of relief, and Harry's body felt like all his bones had disappeared from his body. It was over, it was finally over. There couldn't be much more about the Dursley's, if anything at all. He had just been locked into his room for the rest… Bloody hell! He was never going to catch a break at this rate. No one would appreciate the cat-flap.

"I think we should read one more chapter before dinner, sound good to everyone?" Remus announced, watching as there were weary nods from around the room.

"Good, who should read next?"


	4. Advanced Guard

**A/N Hope you like what we did to it and R/R.**

_"__**YOU HEARD YOUR AUNT, NOW GET TO BED!"**_

"_That is the end of the chapter" Snape announced, sliding the book along the table, as far away as possible. There were several sighs of relief, and Harry's body felt like all his bones had disappeared from his body. It was over, it was finally over. There couldn't be much more about the Dursley's, if anything at all. He had just been locked into his room for the rest… Bloody hell! He was never going to catch a break at this rate. No one would appreciate the cat-flap. _

"_I think we should read one more chapter before dinner, sound good to everyone?" Remus announced, watching as there were weary nods from around the room. _

"_Good, who should read next?"_

Arthur shrugged and detangled himself from his wife's hold on his arm and took the book from Snape who was happy to finally get rid of it.

**The Advanced Guard**

"Thank God, you are finally getting out of there" Ron sighed deeply, stealing himself for more mentions of Harry's relatives, but not for much more he hoped. Harry wasn't looking too good even though he wasn't hiding his face into Sirius's shoulder anymore. Hopefully it would get better from here. But that was a stupid thought wasn't it? Umbridge would be in the book sooner or later.

Sirius sighed in relief, and Harry wondered how he would handle the rest of the book, if such a small thing as the Dursley's had him this worked up. It really wasn't that big a deal, Harry was used to it. It was just annoying now how they looked at him differently; Hermione and Ron looked so guilty. But for what? It wasn't their fault, none of it was. The only person Harry could think to blame was Dumbledore, but how would he have known?

He could have checked on you, a small bitter voice in Harry's mind whispered, but Harry batted it away. He didn't want to think of 'what if's', it was too late now, there was no way to change the past anymore. Dursley's or not, he was here now.

**I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts. I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here.**

**Harry copied these words on to three separate pieces of parchment the moment he reached the desk in his dark bedroom. He addressed the first to Sirius, the second to Ron and the third to Hermione.**

"That letter really scared the hell out of me! We hadn't heard about the attack yet, because we were upstairs. But then suddenly Hedwig was tapping at the window and gave them to us. Mate you really have a way of making us panic. You gave me a bloody heart attack!" Ron remembered quite clearly the disbelief he had felt when he had read the letter but then it had quickly transformed into panic. Was Harry alright? When were they going to pick him up from there? What was happening now? He needed to find Sirius or his father, or even better Dumbledore. He had run out of the room, not waiting for anyone to ask what was wrong.

Hermione nodded besides Ron, they had been upstairs in his room with Ginny and the twins and they had all been very shocked when Ron had went ashen and ran out of the room. Hermione was about to follow when Hedwig had flown over to her and dropped another letter at her feet before flying up to rest on the wardrobe.

She had read the letter, and then dropped it in shock before following Ron down the hallway and into the kitchen, which had been filled with people running around and Sirius and Remus rounding up on Mundungus Fletcher, the twins and Ginny not too far behind.

They had demanded answers, but everyone had been to busy to answer them, and ushered them back upstairs where they had tried very hard not to take off and get Harry themselves.

"Sorry, but I really wanted some answers, and frankly, I was still quite angry" Harry really hadn't thought about how everything might have affected his friends, he had been too worried about the hearing at the time, and then it just didn't seem to be as important. They were back together and joking around, no one mentioned the hearing more than necessary.

**His owl, Hedwig, was off hunting;**

"Where is Hedwig right now by the way? I haven't seen her around" Ginny asked glancing around the room like the owl would suddenly just pop out from somewhere, she really loved Harry's snowy white owl. Harry sighed sadly. He really missed his owl; he was accustomed to her being around all the time.

"She's still at Hogwarts, I didn't get a chance to go and get her before we had to come here, with Umbridge and all" Ginny nodded, but Harry didn't see, he was watching his godfather and Remus. They were acting really weird, exchanging glances when they thought he wasn't looking. He thought it really quite dismal that they thought he didn't notice, maybe Sirius was finally cracking. He grinned innocently when they glanced at him, and they both furrowed their brows.

**her cage stood empty on the desk. Harry paced the bedroom waiting for her to come back, his head pounding, his brain too busy for sleep even though his eyes stung and itched with tiredness. His back ached from hauling Dudley home, and the two lumps on his head where the window and Dudley had hit him were throbbing painfully.**

"You really should go to bed, Harry dear. You sound exhausted" Molly fussed, looking Harry over from her seat. He wasn't looking too good at the moment, pale and dark circles under his eyes. And he really was too thin.

"I couldn't sleep at the moment; I was too on edge about everything. And on top of that I really wanted to get out of there" Sirius looked guiltily at the floor.

**Up and down he paced, consumed with anger and frustration, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, casting angry looks out at the empty, star-strewn sky every time he passed the window. Dementors sent to get him, Mrs. Figg and Mundungus Fletcher tailing him in secret, and then suspension from Hogwarts and a hearing at the Ministry of Magic - and still no one was telling him what was going on.**

"Well it does look kind of bad from your point of view" Ron said, also looking annoyingly guilty in Harry's opinion. Sure he had been angry at the time, but he understood why he had to go to the Dursley's even though he hated them and the time spent there. But it was the safest place, or that was what Dumbledore had said. Now if they would only drop it, and not go talk to his aunt and uncle, everything would just get worse.

"Yeah, kind of" Harry glanced at Sirius and noticed the same guilty expression. He furrowed his brows and glanced around the room taking in the faces around him. Snape seemed the only one unaffected. Guilt was almost the same as pity and Harry suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

**And what, what, had that Howler been about? Whose voice had echoed so horribly, so menacingly, through the kitchen?**

**Why was he still trapped here without information? Why was everyone treating him like some naughty kid? Don't do any more magic, stay in the house…**

"We should have gotten you out of there faster" Sirius stated, but only so Harry and Remus could hear him. And Harry was never going back if he had any say in it, and if he didn't, he would make bloody sure he did. Dumbledore be damned. They could make any house safe enough, and in Sirius's opinion Harry was safe wherever was far enough from the Dursley's.

**He kicked his school trunk as he passed it, but far from relieving his anger he felt worse, as he now had a sharp pain in his toe to deal with in addition to the pain in the rest of his body.**

"Good job Harry! An exceedingly bright-"

"-and smart thing to do!" Harry glared at the twins, narrowing his eyes playfully. He may have been distracted last chapter, but there was no way he had forgotten, he would get his revenge.

Fred nudged George, and they both looked at Harry warily before glancing at each other. They were in some deep shit if they had interpreted that look in Harry's eyes correctly. It was the glint in his eye before he did something very clever and unexpected, and they had to admit, Slytherin.

They shuddered, and Harry's smirk grew. This part was almost his favourite; he loved seeing George and Fred dread his plans before they actually happened, they would get unnaturally jumpy.

**Just as he limped past the window, Hedwig soared through it with a soft rustle of wings like a small ghost.**

"**About time!" Harry snarled, as she landed lightly on top of her cage. "You can put that down, I've got work for you!"**

"Really Harry, Hedwig didn't do anything. You need to rein in your temper" Hermione scolded him lightly noticing that he already felt bad about it. She rarely needed to teach morals to Harry; it was Ron who didn't possess an ounce of tact.

"Yeah I know" He glanced at her and then at Ron. They both understood the unsaid apology and smiled at him.

**Hedwig's large, round, amber eyes gazed at him reproachfully over the dead frog clamped in her beak.**

"Your owls got character Harry, and she seems exceptionally smart" Remus noted, almost amused. Harry nodded a fond smile on his face, and Sirius glanced at his scarred hands. He hadn't understood what Harry's owl had been doing at first but when he had read the letter he had almost laughed, it just seemed such a Lily thing to do, but at the time the blood seeping from the cuts on his hands had dampened his amusement a bit.

"**Come here," said Harry, picking up the three small rolls of parchment and a leather thong and tying the scrolls to her scaly leg. "Take these straight to Sirius, Ron and Hermione and don't come back here without good long replies. Keep pecking them till they've written decent-length answers if you've got to. Understand?"**

"And she did understand that, unfortunately" Ron winced, and rubbed his hands.

"Sorry, I really wasn't-" Harry was feeling bad about that particular burst of anger, and seeing them rub their hands and catching a glimpse of Sirius's hand, really didn't help. Sirius smiled reassuringly, not looking that affected. Harry grimaced.

"No worries Harry, we understand. And I thought we already said no more apologizing for things like that" They three of them nodded at each other before smiling. They were all forgiven.

**Hedwig gave a muffled hooting noise, her beak still full of frog.**

"**Get going, then," said Harry.**

**She took off immediately. The moment she'd gone, Harry threw himself down on his bed without undressing and stared at the dark ceiling. In addition to every other miserable feeling, he now felt guilty that he'd been irritable with Hedwig; she was the only friend he had at number four, Privet Drive.**

Harry glanced down again, not wanting to see the looks on his friends and godfathers face. He had friends now and that's all that mattered.

Sirius was angry, but for Harry's sake tried to rein it in enough not to start shouting again. He really wanted to hug Harry back into his side, but the dark haired teen had moved away after the last chapter and Sirius didn't want to press too far too soon. Instead he placed a calming hand on Remus's shoulder. He knew that he would be taking it hard, Moony had been very alone before Hogwarts and hearing that Harry… he would never let his godson think so again. He would always be there for him.

**But he'd make it up to her when she came back with the answers from Sirius, Ron and Hermione.**

**They were bound to write back quickly; they couldn't possibly ignore a Dementor attack. He'd probably wake up tomorrow to three fat letters full of sympathy and plans for his immediate removal to The Burrow. **

Snape sneered, his sympathy for Potter lessening. The brat was acting more like normal now, he could again see the insufferable attention-seeking teen under all the acts he had put trough the last chapter. Yes, that was it. It was all acting on Potter's part… except his uncle really had strangled him.

Snape shook his head in an effort to rid his mind of all the unwanted thoughts currently flying through it. James Potter's son had always been and would always bee an insolent and spoiled little brat. Right?

**And with that comforting idea, sleep rolled over him, stifling all further thought.**

"Good, after that day you really should rest" Remus said, also feeling rather guilty, but he tried to think rationally. There was no way they would have been able to go get Harry earlier; they had needed to prepare for it, and plan. Moody had not been very happy about the impromptu rescue mission, not at all.

Harry sighed. He really would have liked doing something before being sent to his room. The days afterwards when he had been locked in had felt that much longer because of him being too filled with energy to sleep. That's why he liked his other punishments better. Chores always managed to tire him and he would sleep, almost without nightmares if he was lucky.

**But Hedwig didn't return next morning. Harry spent the day in his bedroom, leaving it only to go to the bathroom. Three times that day Aunt Petunia shoved food into his room through the cat flap **

"They had a cat flap on your door?" Sirius's voice was deathly quiet, and Harry saw no way of getting out of this. Ron and the twins all glanced at each other, before understanding bloomed in them. Ron was looking a bit green and Hermione frowned at him, trying very hard not to think of what they had just read, she would surely explode otherwise. George and Fred were sitting stoic in their seats, and Ginny was glancing worriedly between them. They were quiet. That was enough to cause concern.

How had they not realized what the bars on Harry's windows or all the locks on his door had meant? They had to break out of his room to get his stuff, which was also locked in the cupboard under the stairs. Or when his uncle had charged into Harry's room and tried to drag him back… it had all been forgotten over the fly to the Burrow, Harry didn't say anything so they didn't have any reason to think about it anymore. It didn't seem so odd at the time, probably just Harry's relatives wanted to keep him safe, he was the Boy-Who-Lived after all. But Harry didn't talk about his relatives, or when he did there was at least five curses mixed in the same sentence. They should have realized it.

"Well, yeah. They installed it in my second year, the same year that Ron had to come and save me with the flying Ford" Molly and Arthur looked horrified at each other. They had not believed their son when Ron had said that they had bars on the poor boys windows, or that he had been locked in. It just seemed like a wild tale, a lie to justify stealing the car and taking it on a ride. Harry had of course seemed rather thin, but that wasn't anything new exactly. Molly remembered quite well the tiny and very polite boy who had asked for help that first time at Kings Cross. He had been alone, and was looking quite panicked, the poor dear. She had gladly helped him and had watched pleased as her sons assisted him with his trunk, which was frankly larger than the boy himself.

Sirius was shaking in disbelieving anger. A cat flap. A bloody cat flap. Harry's _room _had been a prison to his godson, and still Harry had never complained. If Dumbledore had known about this, there wasn't much that would be stopping Sirius from killing him. Having been in prison, _and_ surrounded by dementors, had left deep scars in Sirius's mind. Those twelve years were gone; all the memories missed staring at a grimy brick wall could never be brought back.

How could they have subjected Harry to something like this for ten years of his life, and then force him back there summer after summer. He should have realized that night when Harry had agreed so readily to move in with him that something was wrong. No child would want to abandon their family that quick if something wasn't wrong. But the events of that night had driven everything from his mind, and then escaping on Buckbeak had made it impossible to spend more time with his godson.

"I'm so sorry for letting you go back there, Harry. You can never understand how much I regret it" Harry was looking very uncomfortable at the moment, but Sirius needed him to understand that he wouldn't be subjected to this kind of treatment again. He looked at Dumbledore pointedly, but the old man either chose to ignore him or he didn't notice.

Snape was feeling rather odd, suspended between hatred and pity for the boy, and looking at the miserable scrawny, maybe even malnourished, child that sat between his friends and godfather. His hate slowly diminished, he still _disliked_ the boy but he could not hate someone who was already hated in his own home. James Potter's son or not, it didn't matter, at the moment… but the boy didn't deserve it. Even Snape could realize that.

"It wasn't your fault Sirius, you didn't know. And it wasn't that bad, I wasn't being starved or anything-"

"Harry, you don't need to defend those bastards. They should never have laid a finger on you, or locked you inside you room or anything similar. It's wrong and we'll talk about it after this chapter!" Remus said seriously, meeting Harry's wide eyes, before squeezing Sirius's shoulders, just a silent reminder that he wasn't alone.

**Uncle Vernon had installed three summers ago.**

**Every time Harry heard her approaching he tried to question her about the Howler, but he might as well have interrogated the doorknob for all the answers he got. Otherwise, the Dursleys kept well clear of his bedroom. Harry couldn't see the point of forcing his company on them; another row would achieve nothing except perhaps make him so angry he'd perform more illegal magic.**

"Good idea pup, just stay far away from them" Sirius didn't want those monsters in the same town as his godson, much less the same room.

Harry didn't think it overly important to mention the locked state of his door; he wouldn't have been able to go downstairs even if he wanted.

**So it went on for three whole days. **

"Three DAYS? Why didn't you write us? We would have tried to get you even faster!" Everyone was quite shaken with everything revealed, and there didn't seem to be any end to it. Harry was watching the people around him, his family… well except Snape, and he was feeling overwhelmed at the reactions in the room. How come they were so caring now, he had never told anyone but weren't the bars on his window quite a big giveaway? And every year he had begged of Dumbledore to be able to stay at Hogwarts or at the Burrow, but it had always been the same. No, go back to your relatives, it's the safest place.

"How? Hedwig never came back" Harry didn't feel like adding that three days wasn't nearly as bad as some of his longer punishments. He could feel eyes on him and looked up, only to stare defiantly into Dumbledore's eyes. They seemed older somehow, no twinkle; instead they were tinged with sorrow and regret. Harry was too surprised to glare, it was the first time in months his headmaster had looked at him, and Harry could feel some of his anger resurfacing but also a sense of relief. But then Dumbledore looked away and it was gone.

**Harry was alternately filled with restless energy that made him unable to settle to anything, during which time he paced his bedroom, furious at the whole lot of them for leaving him to stew in this mess; and with a lethargy so complete that he could lie on his bed for an hour at a time, staring dazedly into space, aching with dread at the thought of the Ministry hearing.**

"You told us that you weren't worried!" Hermione looked accusingly at Harry, who looked sceptically back at her.

"And you believed me?" well not exactly. Harry was easy to read, and it had been quite clear that something was bothering him, but there had been so much going on that she hadn't been sure what it was, and she hadn't gotten the chance to really talk to him either. She had decided with Ron to let him be, and if he needed them they would be there for him.

**What if they ruled against him? What if he was expelled and his wand was snapped in half? What would he do, where would he go? He could not return to living full-time with the Dursleys, not now he knew the other world, the one to which he really belonged. Might he be able to move into Sirius's house, as Sirius had suggested a year ago, before he had been forced to flee from the Ministry? Would Harry be allowed to live there alone, given that he was still underage? Or would the matter of where he went next be decided for him? Had his breach of the International Statute of Secrecy been severe enough to land him in a cell in Azkaban?**

"Merlin Harry, you really shouldn't be left alone to brood" George exclaimed, looking more back to normal. It was a bad shock for him to see that they had known but not done anything about it. One well placed question and they could have prevented Harry from going there.

This only made it more important now to make sure Harry wasn't feeling guilty over the attack on their father. They owed him more than they could ever repay. Harry had saved almost half of the family. Ginny, Ron, their father, but also indirectly everyone else too. What would have happened if the Basilisk hadn't been killed? George shuddered at the thought, and looked at Harry. He really was part of their family.

**Whenever this thought occurred, Harry invariably slid off his bed and began pacing again.**

**On the fourth night after Hedwig's departure Harry was lying in one of his apathetic phases, staring at the ceiling, his exhausted mind quite blank, when his uncle entered his bedroom. Harry looked slowly around at him. Uncle Vernon was wearing his best suit and an expression of enormous smugness.**

"What's happening now? Are they going out?" Ron was confused. Why would that bastard come to Harry's room if they were going out? It wasn't like they were going to take him with them.

"Yeah" Harry didn't think it was very important, the only thing that really mattered to him was the fact that they would be gone for a couple of hours. And it had been because of the fake letter from Tonks that they had gone out in the first place.

"**We're going out," he said.**

"**Sorry?"**

"**We - that is to say, your aunt, Dudley and I - are going out."**

"Do they ever take you anywhere?" Ginny asked. She didn't feel like focusing on the bad stuff, and tried to distract herself any way possible. She had long ago started getting over her crush on Harry, with much help from Hermione, and she wasn't feeling half as awkward talking to him anymore.

"Not really, I mean, they did take me to the zoo once, on Dudley's birthday" The only places he had really been before Hogwarts was Mrs. Figg's house, school, the supermarket and the motel they had spent the night in trying to avoid the letters. Hogwarts meant freedom to Harry.

"**Fine," said Harry dully, looking back at the ceiling.**

"**You are not to leave your bedroom while we are away."**

"**Okay."**

"**You are not to touch the television, the stereo, or any of our possessions."**

"**Right."**

"**You are not to steal food from the fridge."**

"How can you steal food from your own house?" Ron scoffed. He never went without food for more than a day in the past, and his mother had always made sure that they were all well fed. It was hard for him to imagine not eating. But noticing the dark look on Harry's face told him that it wasn't anything really uncommon for Harry. No wonder he was so thin!

Sirius also noticed the dark look, and swore to himself to watch what Harry was eating from now on, his godson hadn't been starving himself, but if he wasn't used to eating then Sirius would make sure he got used to it.

Molly was thinking very similar thoughts, horrified at a child being starved. She would never let her family go without food. Harry would need some serious fattening up and she was just the woman for the job.

"**Okay."**

"**I am going to lock your door."**

"They locked you in?"

"I thought that was kind of obvious…" Harry trailed off when he saw Sirius's rearing up. But the explosion never came; instead his godfather just shook his head harshly and glared disgustedly at the book.

"**You do that."**

"Fight back Harry! Don't let them do this to you" Fred and George were nodding along with Ron, but Harry just shook his head.

"It would only get worse if I tried something." Ron frowned and the twins exchanged pointed looks. Harry was just expected to take it all, how had he not exploded before?

**Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, clearly suspicious of this lack of argument, **

"Yes, I would be highly suspicious too" Snape muttered, but then shuddered. He had just thought the same thing as that muggle, and that didn't sit well with Severus at all. Disgusting monster that man, and damn him if he was not agreeing with the mutt. He would not stand for the brat being sent back there.

**then stomped out of the room and closed the door behind him. Harry heard the key turn in the lock and Uncle Vernon's footsteps walking heavily down the stairs. A few minutes later he heard the slamming of car doors, the rumble of an engine, and the unmistakable sound of the car sweeping out of the drive.**

**Harry had no particular feeling about the Dursleys leaving. It made no difference to him whether they were in the house or not. He could not even summon the energy to get up and turn on his bedroom light. The room grew steadily darker around him as he lay listening to the night sounds through the window he kept open all the time, waiting for the blessed moment when Hedwig returned. **

The people in the room winced. They had kept Hedwig at the Headquarter, to wait until Harry would be there. They had been forced to put her in a cage because the owl had been almost crazed, attacking anyone that came too near, and she had seemed quite desperate to get back to Harry. And still they hadn't been suspicious.

**The empty house creaked around him. The pipes gurgled. Harry lay there in a kind of stupor, thinking of nothing, suspended in misery.**

"So very melodramatic Harry, do you maybe need a moment?" Fred teased half-heartedly, and Harry snorted. It did sound quite pathetic now, but at the time he had really felt like nothing was important anymore. His friends hadn't answered him, he had just been attacked, Hedwig had abandoned him and he was hungry.

"You can carry on, I'm quite sure I'll manage"

**Then, quite distinctly, he heard a crash in the kitchen below. He sat bolt upright, listening intently. The Dursleys couldn't be back, it was much too soon, and in any case he hadn't heard their car.**

"What would have happened if that hadn't been the people coming to get you?" George wondered aloud, earning many angry glares from around the room. Maybe not the smartest thing he had ever said.

"Well, I was locked in… so I don't know. They would have probably been interested about the locked door in an empty house, and if it was burglars they would have thought there was something valuable inside probably-"

"Well there was, so good that it wasn't anyone else" Sirius said firmly, smiling slightly when his godson coloured red, and ducked his head.

**There was silence for a few seconds, then voices. Burglars, he thought, sliding off the bed on to his feet - but a split second later it occurred to him that burglars would keep their voices down, and whoever was moving around in the kitchen was certainly not troubling to do so. **

"Good, don't go rushing in there. Think it trough. What if it had been someone dangerous, you need to be prepared" Remus was too caught up in the book to notice the amused looks Harry and Sirius were giving him.

"Remus, this already happened, remember? You _were in_ the kitchen" Remus ignored them, but Sirius saw his friends posture relax a bit. Yes, he was very much the rational one of the two… what did this tell them about Sirius.

**He snatched up his wand from the bedside table and stood facing his bedroom door, listening with all his might. Next moment, he jumped as the lock gave a loud click and his door swung open.**

"Oh, I meant to ask about that. Was that one of you?" Harry glanced up curiously looking over at Remus.

"No actually, we were just about to come upstairs and check if you were even in the house, but then we heard your door open" Remus frowned before looking appraisingly at Harry.

"So, you're saying that was me?" Harry was quite bewildered. He had done more accidental magic than he had first thought.

"Yes, your magic seems to be very strong Harry" Dumbledore said, nodding thoughtfully to himself.

**Harry stood motionless, staring through the open doorway at the dark upstairs landing, straining his ears for further sounds, but none came. He hesitated for a moment, then moved swiftly and silently out of his room to the head of the stairs.**

Snape looked appraisingly at the book. That didn't really sound like the brainless Gryffindor who was always throwing himself in danger, Potter was actually hesitating?

**His heart shot upwards into his throat. There were people standing in the shadowy hall below, silhouetted against the streetlight glowing through the glass door; eight or nine of them, all, as far as he could see, looking up at him.**

"**Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out," said a low, growling voice.**

"Moody!" Fred and George exclaimed, ignoring the dark looks sent their way. This tension was getting chucked out, even if it was the last thing they did. And by the look on their mother's and the greasy bat's face it most probably was.

**Harry's heart was thumping uncontrollably. He knew that voice, but he did not lower his wand. "Professor Moody?" he said uncertainly.**

"See, Harry thinks so too!"

"No one disagreed with you" Harry rolled his eyes, but smirked when the twins winked at him. Yeah, he could see what they were trying to do, and glancing around the room he couldn't say it wouldn't be needed.

"**I don't know so much about 'Professor'," growled the voice, "never got round to much teaching, did I? Get down here, we want to see you properly."**

**Harry lowered his wand slightly but did not relax his grip on it, nor did he move.**

"Moody was very impressed by your cautiousness, said we all should watch closely and learn something" Remus informed the blushing teen. Moody's exact words had been somewhere along the line of, 'maybe we aren't doomed yet after all'. Remus could only hope.

**He had very good reason to be suspicious. He had recently spent nine months in what he had thought was Mad-Eye Moody's company only to find out that it wasn't Moody at all, but an impostor; an impostor, moreover, who had tried to kill Harry before being unmasked. But before he could make a decision about what to do next, a second, slightly hoarse voice floated upstairs.**

"**It's all right, Harry. We've come to take you away."**

**Harry's heart leapt. He knew that voice, too, though he hadn't heard it for over a year.**

"I stand by my earlier argument Sirius, I'm clearly the favourite!" Remus teased, laughing more at Harry's confused face than Padfoot's grumbling. They had been playfully arguing one night who was Harry's favourite but had been interrupted before it could evolve into a squabble. Harry catching on rather quickly by the smirk on Remus face, smiled reassuringly at his godfather patting him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Siri, you're still second in my book" Sirius was too shocked at the old nickname to care much about the others snickering. No one had called him that since that terrible night all those years ago. It had been baby Harry's name for him along with Paddy, but he didn't think the boy would be able to remember it. It didn't look like Harry realized that he had said at all, but Remus was watching him with equally wide eyes, a look of mixed sadness and joy on his face.

"**P-Professor Lupin?" he said disbelievingly. "Is that you?"**

"**Why are we all standing in the dark?" said a third voice, this one completely unfamiliar, a woman's. "Lumos."**

**A wand-tip flared, illuminating the hall with magical light. Harry blinked. The people below were crowded around the foot of the stairs, gazing up at him intently, some craning their heads for a better look.**

Snape barely resisted from commenting, partly of his new found understanding of the boy, even as it was a very little one, but also because of the warning look in his mentors eyes, and the mutt's glare. It really wouldn't do to alienate himself even further at a moment like this. So he refrained, but showed his deep displeasure by glaring at them all, especially at the brat. But this was fairly useless, because Harry had a long time ago learnt to ignore the bitter potions professor.

**Remus Lupin stood nearest to him. Though still quite young, Lupin looked tired and rather ill; he had more grey hairs than when Harry had last said goodbye to him and his robes were more patched and shabbier than ever. **

"Ooh, how flattering Moony. Still think you're the favourite?" Sirius couldn't let a comment like that go; he just needed a bit of time to work of his shock. Remus rolled his eyes in a poor attempt to hide his amusement, and Harry snorted. Sirius turned his playful glare on his godson instead, jabbing a finger into his side lightly.

"You just wait, I bet your descriptions on everybody else here are also in the book" Harry glanced at the room, quite frankly worried his thoughts would offend someone, they didn't make sense to him all the time either so hopefully there wouldn't be anything too bad… and if he had to stand hearing about the Dursley's then they could stand to listen to his thought on how they looked. And he still wasn't scrawny, _right!_

**Nevertheless, he was smiling broadly at Harry, who tried to smile back despite his state of shock.**

"It did look more like a grimace, but good of you to try" Remus smiled reassuringly at Harry. It had been quite shocking to see the teen after such a long time, and then notice that Harry had looked rather pale and sick. But of course Remus hadn't connected the dots; he had just thought the dementors had taken their toll on Harry. How was he supposed to have known that he had been locked into his room, and was looking tired and ill because of that?

"**Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would," said the witch who was holding her lit wand aloft. She looked the youngest there; she had a pale heart-shaped face, dark twinkling eyes, and short spiky hair that was a violent shade of violet. "Wotcher, Harry!"**

"Albus, wasn't there supposed to bean Order meeting tomorrow? There will be people coming here" Arthur said, glancing up from the book worriedly.

"Yes, but it is only a small one. The only people who will be arriving here are Nymphadora, and Alastor. And I think it would be a good idea to let them hear this too." The adults in the room nodded, whilst the teens glanced at each other. What would that Order meeting have been about?

"**Yeah, I see what you mean, Remus," said a bald black wizard standing furthest back - he had a deep, slow voice and wore a single gold hoop in his ear - "he looks exactly like James."**

"**Except the eyes," said a wheezy-voiced, silver-haired wizard at the back. "Lily's eyes."**

"You must tire of hearing that all the time" Remus smiled slightly at Harry.

"Nah, I think it's nice" and he really did. He liked hearing that he was like his parents, he felt more connected with them somehow. He had never even seen a picture of them before his first year at Hogwarts, and aunt Petunia sure didn't volunteer any information.

**Mad-Eye Moody, who had long grizzled grey hair and a large chunk missing from his nose, was squinting suspiciously at Harry through his mismatched eyes. One eye was small, dark and beady, the other large, round and electric blue - the magical eye that could see through walls, doors and the back of Moody's own head. "Are you quite sure it's him, Lupin?" he growled. "It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?"**

"**Harry, what form does your Patronus take?" Lupin asked.**

"**A stag," said Harry nervously.**

"**That's him, Mad-Eye," said Lupin.**

**Very conscious of everybody still staring at him, Harry descended the stairs, stowing his wand in the back pocket of his jeans as he came.**

"**Don't put your wand there, boy!" roared Moody. "What if it ignited? Better wizards than you have lost buttocks, you know!"**

"Who?" Fred and George asked excitedly, almost giddy with the thought that it could be Moody himself.

"I don't know, he never told me. Maybe you should ask him" the twins threw Harry a calculating look before two identical smirks spread across their faces. Moody wouldn't know what hit him.

"**Who d'you know who's lost a buttock?" the violet-haired woman asked Mad-Eye interestedly.**

"Good, Tonks will help us in our quest to find out this vitally important fact!" Mrs. Weasley shook her head disapprovingly, but didn't reproach them like she maybe normally would have. Their antics seemed to have a calming effect on the others, and she herself didn't mind being distracted for a while. She would let them go on, but see to it that it didn't get out of hand.

"**Never you mind, you just keep your wand out of your back pocket!" growled Mad-Eye.**

"**Elementary wand-safety, nobody bothers about it any more." He stumped off towards the kitchen. "And I saw that," he added irritably, as t he woman rolled her eyes towards the ceiling.**

"Moody really likes Nymphie, he wouldn't let anyone else get away with something like that" Sirius chuckled, thinking fondly of his younger cousin.

"Nymphie?" Fred inquired a devious smiled playing around his lips. George shook his head warningly. If they wanted Tonks help they would need to be on her good side, and calling her Nymphie wasn't the way to go about it. Even though the name was incredibly ridiculous…

"Oh yeah, that's what we used to call her when she was small. I often babysat with James and Remus, in the summers. A right disaster she was even then, always knocking things down or stumbling over the place. Miracle she still alive really" Sirius snickered to himself, ignoring the reproaching eyes of Moony.

**Lupin held out his hand and shook Harry's.**

"**How are you?" he asked, looking closely at Harry.**

"**F-fine…"**

"You didn't really look fine, but I guess I understand why now" Remus sighed sadly, angry at himself for not noticing. Well nothing he could do about it now, they would just try to make up for everything they had done wrong.

**Harry could hardly believe this was real. Four weeks with nothing, not the tiniest hint of a plan to remove him from Privet Drive, and suddenly a whole bunch of wizards was standing matter-of factly in the house as though this was a long-standing arrangement. He glanced at the people surrounding Lupin; they were still gazing avidly at him. He felt very conscious of the fact that he had not combed his hair for four days.**

"And how were they supposed to notice the difference?" Hermione teased Harry, and he rolled his eyes, flicking a strand of the messy mop from his face. It never wanted to behave, so he had given up on it years ago. And it had the added bonus of irritating his aunt beyond belief.

"**I'm - you're really lucky the Dursleys are out…" he mumbled.**

"I'm very disappointed in you Harry" Sirius sighed sadly, but smiling playfully. Harry shoved him lightly, ignoring the snickers from the twins and Ron.

"Yeah Harry, 'lucky they're out' honestly!" Fred laughed at Harry's sulking face.

"**Lucky, ha!" said the violet-haired woman. "It was me who lured them out of the way. Sent a letter by Muggle post telling them they'd been short-listed for the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition. They're heading off to the prize-giving right now… or they think they are."**

"Good to see that little Nymphie never grew out of that mischievousness, I think that's what really annoys Moody and still makes her really grow on him" Sirius felt it was safe to tell everyone this seeing as neither Moody or his cousin was present, he had no doubt that if they were he would be very much dead right now.

**Harry had a fleeting vision of Uncle Vernon's face when he realized there was no All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition.**

"Serves that bastard right" Ron muttered, feeling quite miserable. How come that the worst thing that walrus had happening to him was a harmless fake letter, but his best mate had to suffer. Harry glanced over at Ron, and seeing how angry the read head was getting, he tried to distract his friend.

"Ron, you know you're not going to have to hear about them anymore after this"

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you? But yeah, I guess you're right. I just hate what they did to you, I can't stand it" Ron sighed, avoiding looking into Harry's eyes, knowing that Harry wouldn't like seeing how guilty he looked. But Harry always seemed to have a way of knowing that stuff anyway, but decide to let Ron be. It felt oddly nice knowing they cared.

"**We are leaving, aren't we?" he asked. "Soon?"**

"**Almost at once," said Lupin, "we're just waiting for the all-clear."**

"**Where are we going? The Burrow?" Harry asked hopefully.**

"Potter, The Burrow would be the most obvious place for the Death eaters to check, really Potter how dim-witted can you be?" Snape sneered, but it somehow it seemed to lack the usual venom. He shook himself mentally, ignoring the very twinkly look his mentor was giving him. This wasn't the time or place for that old coot's plans and theories.

"**Not The Burrow, no," said Lupin, motioning Harry towards the kitchen; the little knot of wizards followed, all still eyeing Harry curiously. "Too risky. We've set up Headquarters somewhere undetectable. It's taken a while…"**

**Mad-Eye Moody was now sitting at the kitchen table swigging from a hip flask, his magical eye spinning in all directions, taking in the Dursleys' many labour-saving appliances.**

"**This is Alastor Moody, Harry" Lupin continued, pointing towards Moody.**

"**Yeah, I know," said Harry uncomfortably. It felt odd to be introduced to somebody he'd thought he'd known for a year.**

"**And this is Nymphadora -"**

"Moony! You know how much she hates that name, why would you… are you suicidal?" Sirius was laughing, but also thinking that it was quite miraculous that his friend was still alive. His cousin had always resented her mother because of her name, and Sirius couldn't really say he blamed her. Nymphadora. Andie really had outdone herself. Not that Sirius could say much.

"No, I was just introducing her" Sirius snorted, he had for a long time now suspected that there was something else brewing under the surface with is best friend and cousin. It would certainly explain the fact that he could call her Nymphadora and get away with it.

"**Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus," said the young witch with a shudder, "it's Tonks."**

"**Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only," finished Lupin.**

"You just keep on digging your grave…"

"Sirius, Nymphadora actually likes me"

"What's that supposed to mean? I dare you to say it to her face!"

"Let's just continue" Remus said, looking pleadingly at Arthur who chuckled but nodded.

"**So would you if your fool of a mother had called you Nymphadora," muttered Tonks.**

"**And this is Kingsley Shacklebolt." He indicated the tall black wizard, who bowed.**

"**Elphias Doge." The wheezy-voiced wizard nodded. "Dedalus Diggle -"**

"**We've met before," squeaked the excitable Diggle, dropping his violet-coloured top hat. "Emmeline Vance." A stately-looking witch in an emerald green shawl inclined her head. "Sturgis Podmore." A square-jawed wizard with thick straw-coloured hair winked. "And Hestia Jones." A pink-cheeked, black-haired witch waved form next to the toaster.**

**Harry inclined his head awkwardly at each of them as they were introduced. He wished they would look at something other than him; it was as though he had suddenly been ushered onstage. He also wondered why so many of them were there.**

"**A surprising number of people volunteered to come and get you," said Lupin, as though he had read Harry's mind; the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.**

"You did look very… stunned. Don't worry, everyone understood that it was a shock to you" Remus reassured the flushed looking teen. There had been numerous people volunteering to get Harry, and Remus had no doubts why. Some just wanted to see him with their own eyes and compare him to James and Lily, and some were just exited to be in the presence of such a legend. It was wrong, but it had played out in the end and really the more people the better. Anything to keep Harry safe.

"**Yeah, well, the more the better," said Moody darkly. "We're your guard, Potter."**

"**We're just waiting for the signal to tell us it's safe to set off," said Lupin, glancing out of the kitchen window. "We've got about fifteen minutes."**

"**Very clean, aren't they, these Muggles?" said the witch called Tonks, who was looking around the kitchen with great interest. "My dad's Muggle-born and he's a right old slob. I suppose it varies, just as it does with wizards?"**

"Why would she think that every muggle is the same? She said her father is a muggleborn!" Hermione liked Tonks and really enjoyed spending time with the young auror and Ginny, talking girl talk and giggling, something she couldn't do with Ron and Harry. But those kind of comments really annoyed her something fierce. Why wouldn't muggles be different, it wasn't like all wizards were the same! They were all humans for God's sake, what would it take for the world to understand that?

Harry and Ron felt it was safer to just stay quiet and let Hermione fume for a while. They glanced at each other, and shared a fond smile before quickly averting their eyes when Hermione looked at them.

"**Er - yeah," said Harry. "Look -" he turned back to Lupin,**"**what's going on, I haven't heard anything from anyone, what's Vol—?"**

"How rude Harry, what did-"

"-Tonks ever do to you?" Fred and George playfully wagged their fingers at him. Harry ignored them, or that was what it looked like at least. Sirius couldn't help but chuckle; he was close enough to Harry to hear the muttered spell and knew that it wouldn't go down well when the red-headed menaces realized what Harry had done.

"Shut up" Harry elbowed his godfather discretely, trying hard to hide his smirk. Harry really didn't need the twins to recognize it yet.

**Several of the witches and wizards made odd hissing noises; Dedalus Diggle dropped his hat again and Moody growled, "Shut up!"**

"**What?" said Harry.**

"What?" Harry asked again when several people looked at him. Hermione shook her head and was about to say something, but Snape beat her to it.

"Really Potter, you would think that even an idiot like you would realize that now was neither the time nor place to discuss such important and _confidential _information. You are not classified to it either way, it doesn't concern you in any way-"

"Severus, that's enough" Dumbledore's voice was firm, and Snape narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything more. Harry on the other side was angry, really angry.

'Doesn't concern you in any way' wasn't it him who Voldemort wanted to find and murder? Wasn't it him, Harry that always seemed to get chucked in there somewhere anyway, but always without the information, why should he get to know stuff that would probably safe his life? It wasn't like he was the one who everyone expected to kill Voldemort in the end and save them all. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, who cared how he did it; he was just supposed to do it, and save all their sorry arses. Who cared if he died at the end, he would jus have to take Voldemort with him.

He was just about to stand up and let the potions professor know exactly where he could shove his stupid holier-than-you sneer, but he met Ron and Hermione's eyes and he bit his tongue. Maybe not the best time to vent out his frustrations, in a room full of people that were already looking at him carefully. Sighing he sank back into his seat.

"**We're not discussing anything here, it's too risky," said Moody, turning his normal eye on Harry. His magical eye remained focused on the ceiling. "Damn it," he added angrily, putting a hand up to the magical eye, "it keeps getting stuck - ever since that scum wore it."**

**And with a nasty squelching sound much like a plunger being pulled from a sink, he popped out his eye.**

"Really, someone should inform Moody about proper hygienic cleaning" Hermione scrunched up her nose, glad she hadn't been there to witness it.

"Don't worry; Tonks is more than ready to do it"

"**Mad-Eye, you do know that's disgusting, don't you?" said Tonks conversationally.**

"**Get me a glass of water, would you, Harry," requested Moody.**

**Harry crossed to the dishwasher, took out a clean glass and filled it with water at the sink, still watched eagerly by the band of wizards. Their relentless staring was starting to annoy him.**

"**Cheers," said Moody, when Harry handed him the glass. He dropped the magical eyeball into the water and prodded it up and down; the eye whizzed around, staring at them all in turn. "I want three hundred and sixty degrees visibility on the return journey."**

"An eye like that really would be cool" Sirius said dreamily, and Harry looked at him skeptically.

"So you would want to gauge out your eye and replace it with a glass ball?" Sirius frowned at his godson. Why did he have to say it like that?

"Thanks Harry, for the mental picture" Remus snorted, he doubted Sirius would ever have done it on purpose; he was much too vain to do anything like that. But one could never know when dealing with Padfoot.

"Just thought you needed a second opinion before you did something drastic" Sirius rolled his eyes.

"**How're we getting - wherever we're going?" Harry asked.**

"**Brooms," said Lupin. "Only way. You're too young to Apparate, they'll be watching the Floo Network and it's more than our life's worth to set up an unauthorized Portkey."**

Harry shuddered. He really couldn't stand portkey's after the third task, and despised ever having to travel with one. It just reminded him too much of that night and everything that could have been avoided if he only hadn't made Cedric take the stupid cup with him.

"Something wrong Harry?" Sirius asked gently, observing the pained look on his godson's face. The teen shook his head, but he wasn't meeting his eyes. Yeah right, something was wrong but Sirius realized this wasn't maybe the time to confront him.

"**Remus says you're a good flier," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep voice.**

"The best!" Sirius and Ron exclaimed, both trying to get Harry back into the slightly more cheerful mood he had been in since the last chapter. It seemed to work a little, but what really made Harry's day was when Fred and George tried to agree.

They both opened their mouths, clearly going to very loudly say something embarrassing or crude, but all that came out was big pink soap bubbles. They twins clapped their hands over their mouths, George hiccupping, and Ginny bursting out in laughter on the couch between them. They both glared at Ron who was laughing so hard he was barely able to stay upright. Then they turned their scowls to Harry, who was avoiding looking at them by examining the bubbles floating by idly.

Molly was watching disapprovingly but was willing to let it slide; it was a quite effective way of silencing them after all. Arthur was chuckling, congratulating Harry silently in his mind. The twins hardly had any challenge in the prank department, only Bill ever really came close, but it seemed they had a new competition in Harry.

Sirius was studying the pink bubbles floating around the room closely, trying to pop one. It didn't work. He nodded to himself, and smiled approvingly at Harry. Remus was shaking his head, but couldn't deny his amusement when one of the bubbles floated over the room and stuck to Snape's hair. Harry followed the bubble like a hawk and when it collided with the side of Snape's head, he just couldn't help himself. He clutched his sides and leaned on Sirius for support, he was gasping for air trough his laughter and tears were streaming down his face.

Hermione was watching her friend happily, chuckling along. It was hard not to when Harry was laughing. And that charm work had been rather impressive; she wondered how he had managed to make the bubbles pink.

"How interesting, really rather fascinating" Dumbledore mused whilst balancing one of the bubbles on the tip of his wand "but alas, we need to continue. Arthur?"

"**He's excellent," **

"Understatement" Sirius said, watching his godson try to calm down. It was good to finally see the troubled teen relax and laugh, and just be the kid he was. Sirius still thought that he could see too much of an old man when he looked into his godson's eyes. It wasn't right. But this little stunt proved that Harry, the teenager, was still able to laugh and have fun, and there weren't enough words to express how relieved this made Sirius.

**said Lupin, who was checking his watch. "Anyway, you'd better go and get packed, Harry, we want to be ready to go when the signal comes."**

"**I'll come and help you," said Tonks brightly.**

**She followed Harry back into the hall and up the stairs, looking around with much curiosity and interest.**

"**Funny place," she said. "It's a bit too clean, d'you know what I mean? Bit unnatural. Oh, this is better," she added, as they entered Harry's bedroom and he turned on the light.**

**His room was certainly much messier than the rest of the house. Confined to it for four days in a very bad mood, Harry had not bothered tidying up after himself. Most of the books he owned were strewn over the floor where he'd tried to distract himself with each in turn and thrown it aside; Hedwig's cage needed cleaning out and was starting to smell; and his trunk lay open, revealing a jumbled mixture of Muggle clothes and wizards' robes that had spilled on to the floor around it.**

"Harry, you shouldn't let your room be that messy. It really sounds like it needs a through and through cleaning" Mrs. Weasley said reproachfully, and Harry nodded trying to look appealingly. He really didn't care what his room looked right, and the messier it was the smaller the chance aunt Petunia would go rummage trough it. Like she would anyway, if the smell of the room when he came back every year was any indicator, Harry was quite sure that the door to his room was never opened during his absence.

**Harry started picking up books and throwing them hastily into his trunk. Tonks paused at his open wardrobe to look critically at her reflection in the mirror on the inside of the door.**

"**You know, I don't think violet's really my colour," she said pensively, tugging at a lock of spiky hair. "D'you think it makes me look a bit peaky?"**

"Don't answer that! Never answer that question if a woman asks you" Sirius said seriously, ignoring the snickers coming from his friend. Fred looked like he dearly wanted to say something, but didn't move his hands away from his mouth still glaring a hole into the side of Harry's head.

"Why?" Harry said curiously, this sounded like some decent blackmailing material on his godfather, something he wasn't willing to pass up easily.

"Well you see Harry, Sirius here-" Remus began, a big smile stretching over his face, but he was cut of rather violently when Sirius shoved him glaring something fierce in the werewolf's direction.

"I thought we agreed that it would never be repeated, traitor!" Harry pouted when Remus rolled his eyes and Sirius turned back to the book. He chanced one look at his godson before shoving him too.

"Oh shut up"

"**Er -" said Harry, looking up at her over the top of Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland.**

"**Yeah, it does," said Tonks decisively. She screwed up her eyes in a strained expression as though she was struggling to remember something. A second later, her hair had turned bubblegum pink.**

"**How did you do that?" said Harry, gaping at her as she opened her eyes again.**

This time both Fred and George started to say something before once again dozens of pink bubbles came out from their mouths.

"Okay Harry, I think that's enough. Please take the spell away" Mrs. Weasley said after she emerged from the cloud of bubbles. Harry was smirking evilly at the twins but turned a repentant face to Molly.

"I'm sorry I can't, the charm is set to wear off" Fred and George looked horrified, their faces clearly portraying the question 'how long?'

"No more than a couple of hours"

"**I'm a Metamorphmagus," she said, looking back at her reflection and turning her head so that she could see her hair from all directions. "It means I can change my appearance at will," she added, spotting Harry's puzzled expression in the mirror behind her. "I was born one. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during Auror training without any study at all, it was great."**

"**You're an Auror?" said Harry, impressed. Being a Dark-wizard-catcher was the only career he'd ever considered after Hogwarts.**

Hermione rolled her eyes. Of course he would want to do that. Why try to find a peaceful job after all this was over. Boys.

"**Yeah," said Tonks, looking proud. "Kingsley is as well, he's a bit higher up than me, though. I only qualified a year ago. Nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking. I'm dead clumsy, did you hear me break that plate when we arrived downstairs?"**

"Well at least she's honest now" Sirius grumped. He had been blamed too many times on things Nymphie had done as a kid and still too afraid to confess to her mother. But when she had grown older and she was still blaming everything on Sirius, he started to suspect something, it turned out his brother Regulus had been telling her all along to blame Sirius, something about 'that's what I did too'

"Don't worry Sirius, Andie isn't here to punish you right now" Remus smirked as his friend shivered.

"**Can you learn how to be a Metamorphmagus?" Harry asked her, straightening up, completely forgetting about packing.**

**Tonks chuckled.**

"**Bet you wouldn't mind hiding that scar sometimes, eh?"**

Snape scoffed, but only quietly. He was the target to too many glares already. Like Potter would ever want to hide the scar, what would people then gawk at?

**Her eyes found the lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead.**

"**No, I wouldn't mind," Harry mumbled, turning away. He did not like people staring at his scar.**

Not true. It was a lie; Snape could not, and would not ever think that the brat didn't like the attention. It was not possible.

"**Well, you'll have to learn the hard way, I'm afraid," said Tonks. "Metamorphmagi are really rare, they're born, not made. Most wizards need to use a wand, or potions, to change their appearance. But we've got to get going, Harry, we're supposed to be packing," she added guiltily, looking around at all the mess on the floor.**

"**Oh — yeah," said Harry, grabbing a few more books.**

"**Don't be stupid, it'll be much quicker if I - pack!" cried Tonks, waving her wand in a long, sweeping movement over the floor. Books, clothes, telescope and scales all soared into the air and flew pell-mell into the trunk.**

"I need to learn that spell" Ron said dreamily, imagining the time and effort he would save if he wouldn't be forced to pack by hand. Hermione opened her mouth to say something; most probably how to do the spell or a reproach of some kind, but Mrs. Weasley got there first.

"Ronald Weasley, you room needs the minimal cleaning you do when you pack your trunk, and I will personally see to it that you never learn that spell before you leave Hogwarts. Some work would do you good"

"**It's not very neat," said Tonks, walking over to t he trunk and looking down at the jumble inside. "My mums got this knack of getting stuff to fit itself in neatly - she even gets the socks to fold themselves - but I've never mastered how she does it - it's a kind of flick -" She flicked her wand hopefully. One of Harry's socks gave a feeble sort of wiggle and flopped back on top of the mess in the trunk.**

"**Ah, well," said Tonks, slamming the trunk's lid shut, "at least it's all in. That could do with a bit of cleaning, too." She pointed her wand at Hedwig's cage. "Scourgify." A few feathers and droppings vanished. "Well, that's a bit better - I've never quite got the hang of these householdy sort of spells. Right - got everything? Cauldron? Broom? Wow! - A Firebolt!"**

**Her eyes widened as they fell on the broomstick in Harry's right hand, it was his pride and joy, a gift from Sirius,**

Sirius sat up a little straighter in his chair, smiling proudly. Remus rolled his eyes and Harry snorted, but inwardly he was fuming. He hadn't even touched his broom since Umbridge had confiscated it and chained it to a wall. That toad.

**an international-standard broomstick.**

"Only you would give an international-standard broom to a kid" Remus chuckled, he hadn't noticed Harry's darkening expression. No one had, except maybe Hermione who was watching him a bit too closely for his liking.

"You've seen the kid fly, he needs a proper broom to keep up with him" Harry flushed at the sudden praise, and ducked his head to hide his grin.

"**And I'm still riding a Comet Two Sixty" said Tonks enviously. "Ah well… wand still in your jeans? Both buttocks still on? Okay, let's go. Locomotor trunk."**

**Harry's trunk rose a few inches into the air. Holding her wand like a conductor's baton, Tonks made the trunk hover across the room and out of the door ahead of them, Hedwig's cage in her left hand. Harry followed her down the stairs carrying his broomstick.**

**Back in the kitchen Moody had replaced his eye, which was spinning so fast after its cleaning it made Harry feel sick to look at it. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Sturgis Podmore were examining the microwave and Hestia Jones was laughing at a potato peeler she had come across while rummaging in the drawers. Lupin was sealing a letter addressed to the Dursleys.**

"It was good that you came downstairs when you did, I think a minute or two more and the house would have been on fire." the beeping that had come from Kingsley's and Sturgis direction had been a bit ominous.

"I don't think anyone would have minded" Harry shrugged. He really wouldn't have cared if they would have destroyed something, anything to annoy his aunt and uncle when he wasn't there would be a good thing. But still nothing too big, they couldn't be angry when he came back for the summer, or he would have to pay for it.

Harry still firmly believed he was going to be sent back to the Dursley's. It was the safest place for him after all; and when had anyone failed to listen to Dumbledore's orders before? Sure they would say that they were sorry and that they would try to get him out of there as quickly as possible, but they still sent him there in the end.

"**Excellent," said Lupin, looking up as Tonks and Harry entered. "We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry –"**

Remus scoffed at his naivety.

"**They won't," said Harry.**

"**- that you're safe -"**

"**That'll just depress them."**

Sirius looked sadly at his godson. He had to live with these people for over ten years. It was a miracle Harry had turned into the good kid he was, and not some crazed serial killer. He couldn't think of anyone as fair and kind as Harry.

"**- and you'll see them next summer."**

"**Do I have to?"**

"No!" Sirius was looking at Dumbledore when he said this, a clear challenge in his eyes. Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"I'm afraid that it will be crucial for Harry to go back-"

"I said no. He will not be going back there" Harry was glancing between his godfather and headmaster, trying very hard to squash the glimmer of hope that had grown in his chest.

"He must. No objections, we will discuss this later if you still feel the need to, Sirius" Sirius looked ready to murder Dumbledore. Hell yeah they were going to discuss this. Sirius would kidnap Harry himself before he let him go back to the Dursley's.

Dumbledore really didn't mean any harm; he just believed that this was the safest choice for Harry. The young boy would profit from this in the end, when he was still alive and well. No death eater could reach Harry at Privet Drive, and that was the best place for Harry.

**Lupin smiled but made no answer.**

"**Come here, boy," said Moody gruffly, beckoning Harry towards him with his wand. "I need to Disillusion you."**

"**You need to what?" said Harry nervously.**

"**Disillusionment Charm," said Moody, raising his wand. "Lupin says you've got an Invisibility Cloak, but it won't stay on while we're flying; this'll disguise you better. Here you go - He rapped him hard on the top of the head and Harry felt a curious sensation as though Moody had just smashed an egg there; cold trickles seemed to be running down his body from the point the wand had struck.**

"**Nice one, Mad-Eye," said Tonks appreciatively, staring at Harry's midriff.**

**Harry looked down at his body, or rather, what had been his body, for it didn't look anything like his any more. It was not invisible; it had simply taken on the exact colour and texture of the kitchen unit behind him. He seemed to have become a human chameleon.**

"Very accurate description Harry" Remus nodded. Harry shrugged; it had felt like that when Moody did it.

"**Come on," said Moody, unlocking the back door with his wand. They all stepped outside on to Uncle Vernon's beautifully kept lawn.**

"**Clear night," grunted Moody, his magical eye scanning the heavens. "Could've done with a bit more cloud cover. Right, you," he barked at Harry," we're going to be flying in close formation. Tonks'll be right in front of you, keep close on her tail. Lupin'll be covering you from below I'm going to be behind you. The rest'll be circling us. We don't break ranks for anything, got me? If one of us is killed -"**

"Scare the kid to death, will you Moody" Sirius scoffed, but ducked the pillow aimed at his head. He looked at Harry who was scowling at him.

"I wasn't scared!"

"Oh yes, of course not" he ducked another one.

"**Is that likely?" Harry asked apprehensively, but Moody ignored him.**

"Shut up"

"**- the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of us and you survive, Harry, the rear guard are standing by to take over; keep flying east and they'll join you."**

"**Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, he'll think we're not taking this seriously" said Tonks, as she strapped Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage into a harness hanging from her broom.**

"**I'm just telling the boy the plan," growled Moody. "Our jobs to deliver him safely to Headquarters and if we die in the attempt –"**

"**No one's going to die," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep, calming voice.**

"Everything Kingsley says is calming. He could be telling you that the house is on fire and you would nod and doze off" Sirius said calmly, trying to imitate the deep tenor Kingsley's voice had. He was failing rather spectacularly.

"**Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!" said Lupin sharply pointing into the sky.**

**Far, far above them, a shower of bright red sparks had flared among the stars, Harry recognized them at once as wand sparks. He swung his right leg over his Firebolt, gripped its handle tightly and felt it vibrating very slightly, as though it was as keen as he was to be up in the air once more.**

"**Second signal, let's go!" said Lupin loudly as more sparks, green this time, exploded high above them.**

**Harry kicked off hard from the ground. The cool night air rushed through his hair as the neat square gardens of Privet Drive fell away, shrinking rapidly into a patchwork of dark greens and blacks, and every thought of the Ministry hearing was swept from his mind as though the rush of air had blown it out of his head. He felt as though his heart was going to explode with pleasure; he was flying again, flying away from Privet Drive as he'd been fantasizing about all summer, he was going home… for a few glorious moments, all his problems seemed to recede to nothing, insignificant in the vast, starry sky.**

"Now I want to fly mate, your thoughts are way too detailed!" Ron sighed dreamily. Hermione rolled her eyes at the boys who were both staring into space clearly not listening to Mr. Weasley read anymore.

Harry felt a pang of longing; he hadn't been allowed to fly since the toad had banned him from Quidditch and taken his broom. Flying was the only thing that would relax him when he was too wound up to do anything else and his sleep was seriously suffering. His nights were riddled with nightmares, and he had no Quidditch practice to exhaust him, he didn't seem to dream at all when he was that tired, and a hard workout always seemed to wear him down.

"**Hard left, hard left, there's a Muggle looking up!" shouted Moody from behind him. Tonks swerved and Harry followed her, watching his trunk swinging wildly beneath her broom. "We need more height… give it another quarter of a mile!"**

**Harry's eyes watered in the chill as they soared upwards; he could see nothing below now but tiny pinpricks of light that were car headlights and streetlamps. Two of those tiny lights might belong to Uncle Vernon's car… the Dursleys would be heading back to their empty house right now, full of rage about the non-existent Lawn Competition… and Harry laughed aloud at the thought, though his voice was drowned by the flapping robes of the others, the creaking of the harness holding his trunk and the cage, and the whoosh of the wind in their ears as they sped through the air. He had not felt this alive in a month, or this happy.**

Everyone was watching Harry in varying stages of pity and sadness, but Harry was still too lost in his daydream flying to notice them. And maybe that was for the best either way.

"**Bearing south!" shouted Mad-Eye. "'Town ahead!"**

**They soared right to avoid passing directly over the glittering spider's web of lights below.**

"**Bear southeast and keep climbing, there's some low cloud ahead we can lose ourselves in!" called Moody.**

"Is Alastor mad? They can't fly trough clouds, you'll get soaked and then it would be a miracle if you didn't catch a cold, and-" Mrs. Weasley was horrified, looking like she would gladly have continued on scolding the presently unaware auror, but the calming hand of her husband on her shoulder stopped her.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, Tonks stopped him"

"It's Molly dear, and it's lucky she did"

"**We're not going through clouds!" shouted Tonks angrily, "we'll get soaked, Mad-Eye!"**

**Harry was relieved to hear her say this; his hands were growing numb on the Firebolt's handle. He wished he had thought to put on a coat; he was starting to shiver.**

"We should have made you wear a coat; we were flying rather high up after all-"

"I'm fine Remus!" the werewolf flushed as the exasperated teen rolled his eyes. He was sounding rather like Molly at the moment, wasn't he? He shoved Sirius lightly when the other snickered, and raised an eyebrow. He could quite clearly remember many similar moments when Sirius couldn't stop pacing after something happened to Harry. They were both equally concerned for their pup's safety, maybe even tad bit overprotective. Merlin knows how many times he had to stop Sirius from barging into Hogwarts this passed year.

Sirius quieted down considerably fast, and refused to meet his or Harry's curious eyes.

**They altered their course every now and then according to Mad-Eyes instructions. Harry's eyes were screwed up against the rush of icy wind that was starting to make his ears ache; he could remember being this cold on a broom only once before, during the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff in his third year, which had taken place in a storm. **

"Was that the time when the…" Sirius asked quietly watching his godson closely.

"Yeah" Sirius nodded, thinking back on the day. It had been the first time; hopefully not last, he had seen his godson flying. Of course he had watched baby Harry zoom around on his toy broom when he was small, but it wasn't the same. Sirius could have sworn for a moment there that it was James out on the pitch; they were very similar from that far away. But when you looked closer you could see more than just Lily's eyes, Harry also had her lips, and the slight tilt of his nose always reminded him of Lily.

He flew well, maybe even better than James back in the day. Sirius didn't doubt that Harry, if he wanted, could become a star Quidditch player, teams would fight over him. And not just because he was the Boy-Who-Lived, no the Quidditch business wasn't as fickle as that, but because he clearly had raw talent. Some professional training and his pup would be unstoppable.

Sirius didn't know about the dementors, he had left before Harry had fallen. He had been careful, and couldn't have stayed longer if he wanted to remain undetected. And maybe that was for the best too, seeing Harry falling through the air would probably have made him reveal himself, and who knows what could have happened then.

**The guard around him was circling continuously like giant birds of prey. Harry lost track of time. He wondered how long they had been flying, it felt like an hour at least.**

"**Turning southwest!" yelled Moody "We want to avoid the motorway!"**

Molly straightened up, her eyes flashing, but once again Arthur stopped her before she could get started. They all wanted to finish this so they could take a break, the tension in the room was high enough already.

Molly glared at her husband, but settled back into her seat resignedly. She would just have to save her tirade for Alastor then, and she would make sure he listened.

**Harry was now so chilled he thought longingly of the snug, dry interiors of the cars streaming along below, then, even more longingly, of travelling by Floo powder; it might be uncomfortable to spin around in fireplaces but it was at least warm in the flames… Kingsley Shacklebolt swooped around him, bald pate and earring gleaming slightly in the moonlight… now Emmeline Vance was on his right, her wand out, her head turning left and right… then she, too, swooped over him, to be replaced by Sturgis Podmore…**

"**We ought to double back for a bit, just to make sure we're not being followed!" Moody shouted.**

Even Sirius made some disgruntled sounds at this, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders again, rubbing his arms, trying to maybe unconsciously warm him. Harry was very tempted to roll his eyes, but seeing as he really didn't mind he decided to let Sirius be, he was just being his overprotective self.

"**ARE YOU MAD, MAD-EYE"' Tonks screamed from the front. "We're all frozen to our brooms! If we keep going off-course we're not going to get there until next week! Besides, we're nearly there now!"**

Sirius didn't think he had ever liked his cousin more than in that moment, she had clearly gotten her nerve from her mother and wasn't afraid to tell things as they were, especially not to Moody.

"**Time to start the descent!" came Lupin's voice. "Follow Tonks, Harry!"**

**Harry followed Tonks into a dive. They were heading for the largest collection of lights he had yet seen, a huge, sprawling crisscrossing mass, glittering in lines and grids, interspersed with patches of deepest black. Lower and lower they flew, until Harry could see individual headlights and streetlamps, chimneys and television aerials. He wanted to reach the ground very much, though he felt sure someone would have to unfreeze him from his broom.**

"**Here we go!" called Tonks, and a few seconds later she had landed.**

**Harry touched down right behind her and dismounted on a patch of unkempt grass in the middle of a small square. Tonks was already unbuckling Harry's trunk. Shivering, Harry looked around. The grimy fronts of the surrounding houses were not welcoming; some of them had broken windows, glimmering dully in the light fro the streetlamps, paint was peeling from many of the doors and heaps of rubbish lay outside several sets of front steps.**

"**Where are we?" Harry asked, but Lupin said quietly, "In a minute."**

**Moody was rummaging in his cloak, his gnarled hands clumsy with cold.**

"**Got it," he muttered, raising what looked like a silver cigarette lighter into the air and clicking it. The nearest streetlamp went out with a pop. He clicked the unlighter again;**

Dumbledore smiled to himself, unlighter indeed.

**the next lamp went out; he kept clicking until every lamp in the square was extinguished and the only remaining light came from curtained windows and the sickle moon overhead.**

"**Borrowed it from Dumbledore," growled Moody, pocketing the Put-Outer. "That'll take care of any Muggles looking out of the window, see? Now come on, quick."**

"Can we see it, professor?" Ginny asked, after obvious prompting from the twins who still couldn't speak without burping up bubbles.

"I do not happen to have it with me Miss Weasley, I'll make sure to show it to you some other time" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in the twins direction and they both nodded eagerly.

**He took Harry by the arm and led him from the patch of grass, across the road and on to the pavement; Lupin and Tonks followed, carrying Harry's trunk between them, the rest of the guard, all with their wands out, flanking them.**

**The muffled pounding of a stereo was coming from an upper window in the nearest house. A pungent smell of rotting rubbish came from the pile of bulging bin-bags just inside the broken gate.**

"**Here," Moody muttered, thrusting a piece of parchment towards Harry's Disillusioned hand and holding his lit wand close to it, so as to illuminate the writing. "Read quickly and memorise."**

**Harry looked down at the piece of paper. The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar. It said: The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London**

"And that's the end of the chapter" Arthur said closing the book gently and laying it on the table. The occupants of the room seemed to let out a collective breath of relief; the Dursley's wouldn't be mentioned anymore.

"I think this is an excellent place to stop for dinner, and I want everyone one of you down in the kitchen to help!" she eyed her children sternly. "Albus, Severus are you staying for dinner? I don't think we'll have time to read anymore today, it's getting a bit late" Severus inwardly blanched at the mere suggestion of staying here in this house with all of these people.

"No thank you Molly, I think we have some rather pressing matters to attend to at Hogwarts. We'll be back here in the morning, and then we can explain the situation to Alastor and Nymphadora. Have a good evening!" Albus nodded at everyone before leaving behind Snape, who had not bothered to say goodbye.

"Well then, put those books away dear, and let's go downstairs" Everyone followed Mrs. Weasley to the kitchen, where she then put everyone to work with some task. Fred and George were trying hard to get Harry to take away the charm, or curse in their minds, but to no avail. Crookshanks was chasing the bubbles around the room, hissing loudly every time one of them popped.

Sirius and Remus were waiting, and rather impatiently at that, for dinner to be over and done with, they had much to discuss with Harry. The teen in question on the other hand was dreading the moment Sirius and Remus dragged him away, but was too busy with laughing at the twins to really pay any attention, he would worry later.

Hermione and Ron were talking with hushed voices over a bowl of vegetables they were supposed to be chopping, glancing at Harry discreetly every now and then.

Mr. Weasley had been ordered into a chair the moment he had tried to help and was now watching the flurry of activity around him, noticing much more than anyone could ever suspect.

This was going to be an interesting dinner, Arthur thought to himself watching the shared glances and knowing looks, very interesting indeed.

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	5. Nightmares

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.**

Harry glanced around himself warily, noticing how everyone was watching him closely, even if they were trying to hide it. Hermione would glance his way every other minute and then turn blushing to Ron again when she noticed Harry looking back. Sirius and Remus weren't as fast to turn away when they got caught staring, but would instead nod pointedly at his mostly untouched plate, that Mrs. Weasley kept filling every time he even looked at her.

Ginny and the twins were talking loudly now that Fred and George were finally able to talk without burping up bubbles even though the last ones had all been different colours. They were probably trying to diffuse some of the tension around the kitchen witch was unnaturally quiet. And all this was putting Harry off his food even more than usual.

His stomach was rebelling with all of the tension swirling around and he was quite sure his heart beat was going overdrive. He wasn't able to force down more than a few bites before he was pushing himself away from the table, startling everyone even though they had been watching him.

"May I be excused?" he didn't wait around for the negative answer, and charged out of the kitchen nearly running. He paused at the stairs not sure where to go. Finding the books and burning them sounded quite appealing but he knew, somewhere deep down, that these books were good to them and would help them win the war, but why did they have to be his thoughts? It was always him! He cast one long look to the door at the end of the hall before starting up the stairs.

He moved in some kind of haze, and before he knew it he was standing before Buckbeak's door again. He stood there, unmoving for an immeasurable second panting slightly from running up the five sets of stairs.

He should go back downstairs. Go back and reassure everyone that he was fine and that he didn't blame them for forcing him to the Dursley's- no matter if it was a lie or not. He should go back there and eat something; it was already bad enough that he couldn't sleep; he was barely able to stay upright as it was. The lack of proper sleep and food was getting to him.

He should go back downstairs, but he wasn't going to. For once he just wanted a quiet moment to himself. A moment where he could sort through all the memories brought to the surface by that bloody book, all the times he had tried to forget suddenly written down and read aloud to his closest friends and family. What did they think of him now? They would pity him; tell him how sorry they were and how much they regretted too many things.

And still they would send him back there. Dumbledore wasn't going to be swayed, no matter what Sirius would say, Harry was sure of it. There was nothing they could do to help him, no matter how hard they wished. If there was anything that Harry had learned while living at the Dursley's, it was that whishing didn't do any good to anyone. And he only had to endure until he was seventeen, he could handle the Dursley's for two more summers, he _did_ manage to live with them for ten years before all this, even thought everyone else seemed to have forgotten this little fact.

But how the flares of hope burned in his chest at the thought that maybe he could live with Sirius, charring his lungs making it hard to breathe. But Harry had no patience for his traitorous thoughts, and he slammed them down hard, distinguishing anything even similar to longing, the tightness behind his eyes still betraying him.

Harry shook himself roughly, pushing the door open, pausing in the doorway to bow to Buckbeak, but hesitated when it was made clear that his only companion in all this was asleep.

Well, he doubted that Buckbeak would hurt him; he had gotten so used to Harry over the days that the human boy had sneaked up to his cave to stroke his feathers. Buckbeak rather liked the sad little boy. He still missed his big master, who was the only other being to ever stroke his feathers, if you didn't count the odd dog that could transform into a human.

Harry walked forward slowly, freezing when he saw one big yellow hawk eye stare up at him blearily. They regarded each other for a moment and then Buckbeak blinked and closed his eye again. Harry's shoulders sagged in relief. Buckbeak may trust him more now, but he was still a big and _strong _hippogriff who could rip him into pieces in seconds with that _very sharp _beak of his.

He shut the door firmly and went over to Buckbeak and sat down, leaning on the bare wall.

He reached forward carefully, touching the soft feathers gently not jumping back when the hippogriff moved its head and clicked its beak. Buckbeak was just showing his appreciation. Harry tried very hard not to think of anything, but as always when you tried to forget something it just wouldn't fade from his mind. After ignoring everything for so many years, keeping it all a secret, a book had brought every thing back tot the surface. Everyone knew, or at least they thought they knew. That really had been one of the tamer summers at the Dursley's, something that Harry was eternally grateful for.

Harry cursed the tears still pressing behind his closed eyelids, and slowly let his body slump down the wall, his hand falling from Buckbeak's head. Without thought Harry pressed his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them hiding his face.

Harry felt ashamed and weak and tired and so small.

He tried pushing the images out of his mind with all his might, but when a tear slipped through his carefully constructed wall nothing seemed to stop the rest. His mind flashed with memories off years passed, every harsh word his uncle had ever thrown at him, every time his aunt had aimed that frying pan at him and actually not missed. His cupboard. His safe haven before Hogwarts. Every long night spent in the dark cramped space, wishing for someone to come, for someone to come and take him away. Someone who would love him.

Every blow he had endured by his uncle and cousin, every hurt he had nursed back to health in the darkness of the night after everyone else had gone to bed. Every day gone without food, his chores, his backbreaking chores.

Harry cried. Something he hadn't properly done since he was eight years old. He slid even further down the wall, burying his face into the soft grey feathers of Buckbeak's neck, curling up on his side pressed against the warm body. He cried until there were no more tears and couldn't fight the darkness when it started to envelope him. Harry fell asleep curled into Buckbeak's side, oblivious to the uproar going on downstairs.

There was a shocked silence around the table, the bang of the kitchen door echoing around the room. Sirius was debating running after his godson, but something in Remus's eyes made him stay where he was just a moment longer. Hermione and Ron were staring at the door, still shocked how Harry had barged out. It wasn't very like him to loose it like that, and it only made their concern for him grow.

Mr. Weasley was looking sadly at the spot where Harry had been sitting a few seconds ago, placing a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. Molly was this close to bursting into tears, and it was with great difficulty she stopped herself. She went to rise from her seat and go after Harry, but her husband stopped her before she could get very far.

"Not now Molly dear, I think he needs some time" Arthur's voice was strained, and Molly was about to protest but fell silent by the pleading look on Remus's face. Remus was also restraining a struggling Sirius who was hell bent on going after his godson now that Moony had gotten his point across. Nothing rash, got it.

Ginny was watching everything going on around her, noticing the silent looks and unsaid words hanging in the air. She looked over at the twins to her left and took some comfort in the fact that they seemed to be less affected this time.

"Mother dear, you don't think-"

"-you'd fancy a cup of tea, dad?" they looked cheerful enough, but Ginny knew them well and noticed the tight line of their mouths. They didn't wait for an answer but stood up and started handing out cups to everyone, and soon the soothing aroma of mint filled the kitchen. Ginny noticed how neither one of them touched their own cups.

Sirius didn't even glance at the cup deposited in front of him. If it wasn't firewhiskey it could wait, he needed to go and find his godson. He tried to yank at Remus's hands but to no avail it seemed.

"Remus let go! He needs me right now, and if you don't get your hands off right this second I'll personally rip your arms off and-"

"I think Harry needs some space, we have been reading his _thoughts _and secrets have been revealed. Harry is probably feeling overwhelmed-"

"Remus, that's the point" Sirius had stopped struggling, and levelled his friend with an uncharacteristically cold look. "That book has shown us how _horrible _we have been at keeping him safe, nothing in that book shows him that people care about what happens to him, I need to go and make sure that he doesn't think so anymore! Now you can either let me go and preferably come with me, or-"

"Go" Remus let his hands drop to his side, feeling like he had been burned. Sirius cast him one last look, less menacing this time, before sprinting out and banging the door again, leaving a very bemused group of people and a silent Remus behind him. Sirius was right, if Harry's behaviour while reading the book was anything to go at, the teen would need every bit of reassurance he got. He would go after Sirius, but he felt it prudent for them talk alone first.

"Harry will be fine, let Sirius handle it. Molly, no. Sirius is more than capable and probably the one Harry trusts most. Let me help you clean up all this, Ron? Hermione? Give me a hand?"

Hermione glanced at Ron before scrambling out of her seat, almost spilling the still full cup of tea in her hand. Ron was calmer, but his shoulders were tense as if waiting for something to happen. They would make sure to talk to Harry after all this, they needed to let their friend know in no uncertain terms that nothing would change between them because of this, they knew Harry well enough to know that it was what Harry believed would happen.

Sirius was climbing the stairs, unsure of where to search for Harry this time. He could have gone to bed, or the bathroom, or even back to his mother's old room. Buckbeak seemed to be the only being Harry wanted to be close to at the moment, and Sirius couldn't deny that it hurt. He wanted Harry to trust him, to rely on him, but he also knew that he had been a too small part of Harry's life this far to have earned that trust. Well, that was going to change.

Sirius glanced up towards the floors above him, and following his instinct made his way up the stairs towards Buckbeak's cave as Harry called it. He knocked on the door twice but when no answer could be heard, Sirius could feel a sense of panic wash up in him. He reached for the door knob, but it was locked.

"Harry? Harry, are you in there? Answer me!" Sirius was rattling the doorknob but there was still no answer. Sirius reached for his wand intent on blasting the door off its hinges, but a calm voice that sounded suspiciously like Moony stopped him. Try _unlocking _the door first.

"Alohomora!" To Sirius great relief the door sprung open and he rushed inside, coming to a halt when Buckbeak clicked his beak angrily at him. He bowed down immediately, very careful not to loose eye contact. He did not want to aggravate the hippogriff; he still wasn't sure where Harry was. Buckbeak regarded him for a moment, but Sirius didn't back down. He had spent so much time with the creature before him that he knew it was only annoyed for being startled.

Sirius made sure to move slowly after Buckbeak had let him come in, still not able to see Harry anywhere. Sirius frowned, he had been so sure that Harry would be up here, where could he be?

Buckbeak raised his head slightly to follow the odd human with his eyes, and seemed to come to some sort of decision. He clicked his beak a couple of times and when the man finally turned to him, he lifted his wing slightly, showing the small space underneath. And in that small space, was the small little boy. Buckbeak had been watching over him.

Sirius felt his legs weaken with the force of his relief, and closed his eyes for a second. Harry was there, and he seemed to be relatively unhurt. His godson was curled into a small ball, pressed into the hippogriff's side, the wing providing both shelter and warmth. Sirius had to marvel at the boys' nerve, there weren't many people who fell asleep with a hippogriff in the room.

He slowly made his way over to the sleeping teen, crouching down so he could better see under the wing. He studied Harry closely in the moon light that barely helped him see at all. Harry's face was peaceful but streaked with tears, and Sirius felt a pang in his chest urging him to reach forward to his godson, but this was probably the first time Harry had slept properly for a long while and Sirius was quite loath to wake him up. Harry looked peaceful for the first time in ages, but the dark circles still stood out on his pale skin.

Sirius, if anyone knew how much Harry needed his sleep, but really they all needed to talk to him, and even if Sirius didn't _think _Buckbeak would hurt his godson, those claws really did look sharp.

Buckbeak barely acknowledged him when Sirius gently placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, bringing his other hand to stroke Harry's cheek.

"Harry, you need to wake up. We need to talk to you" Harry groaned, and Sirius could see one of the bright green eyes open slightly to peer at him confusedly behind crocked glasses.

"'m sleep" was Sirius's muffled reply and he chuckled slightly, still stroking Harry's cheek.

"I know and I'm sorry for forcing you to come and talk to us, but we do really need to speak with you Harry. It's important" the teen seemed to wake some more at the sound of his name, and Sirius gently took Harry's hand and hoisted him up from the floor, ducking Buckbeak's wing carefully. Harry wobbled on his unsteady feet and nearly fell, but Sirius was prepared and swept up his protesting godson into his arms. There was no way Sirius was letting a half dead Harry walk down the stairs on his own.

"Let me down, I can w-" a huge yawn interrupted Harry's protest, and Sirius laughed shaking his head.

"Yeah, I don't think so" Harry tried to roll his eyes, but didn't think he quite managed, so instead he settled down to sulk. He was tired, and very apprehensive about this 'talk' they were going to have. There was really nothing to discuss. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on his godfathers strong shoulder, feeling quite relaxed even though the apprehension was slowly twisting around in his stomach.

"I really don't see the point in this. There's nothing to talk about" Sirius arms tensed around Harry, and if he would have had enough energy he would have opened his eyes and studied Sirius. Everyone's reactions were really weird.

"Harry, I don't think you understand how serious this is. We would never let you live in an abusive home! I meant what I said; I will not let you go back there"

"not abused" Harry mumbled feebly into Sirius's shoulder. He wasn't. Or if he was, it wasn't that bad. They were all exaggerating everything, uncle Vernon had done much worse, even though that was before Hogwarts. They seemed to have been quite shaken with the letter and the notion that someone was watching them, a fact that Harry doubted or at least didn't want to believe.

Harry yelped and his eyes flew open when Sirius suddenly set him down, and he would quite surely have fallen if the older man didn't have a firm grip on his shoulders. Harry watched Sirius for a while before dropping his gaze from the intense stare.

"Harry… have they ever hit you, harmed you in _any_ other way, starved you, blamed you for things you didn't do, called you names, _choked_ you?" Harry winced at the last one but shrugged slightly, keeping his eyes firmly on the floor. Did it count that his uncle never used his name?

"Harry, look at me" Sirius's voice cracked slightly, and Harry felt incredibly guilty, but didn't look up. Sirius gently coaxed Harry's chin up with his thumb and smiled reassuringly when he finally met his godson's eyes, or he hoped it had been a smile.

"Tell me they haven't, and I'll believe that you're not abused" Sirius hated that word, and hated himself even more for having Harry go through this. It was his entire fault, he should never have gone after Pettigrew, and Harry would have been safe with him.

Harry's eyes lowered back to the floor but Sirius didn't let them stay there long. He forced Harry's eyes up again, holding his chin gently, waiting patiently for maybe the first time in his life. Harry looked at him for a minute clearly unsure and insecure, maybe even a little scared, and Sirius was careful to keep his face under control, rage and sorrow mingling under the surface.

"Yeah" something in Sirius broke at the quiet whisper, and he hugged his godson to him hard, pressing his face into the unruly hair and whispering soothing nonsense into his ear. Harry was shaking and Sirius held on even tighter.

"It's okay Harry, you won't be going back. I promise" Harry could feel the tears flow freely now, Sirius promised. And it would hurt even more when he broke that promise, which was unavoidable.

Harry didn't know how long they stood there, but when his eyes were finally beginning to dry, he was practically sleeping; the only thing that prevented him from falling to the floor was Sirius tight grip. Sirius held his godson as tight as he dared, scared of breaking the fragile teen.

Harry would kill him if he ever heard Sirius say that.

He took one look at the stairs to the kitchen before hoisting the mostly asleep Harry into his arms and going in the opposite direction. They could talk more later, Harry was too tired. He didn't know what he had been thinking before, trying to force Harry to stay awake.

Sirius started up the stairs, shushing any feeble protest from Harry.

"Just go to sleep, Harry. Everything's going to be alright" He wasn't even up the stairs before he could feel Harry's body go limp and the young teen had finally succumbed to sleep.

Sirius kissed his forehead gently, and he was almost sure he could see Harry smile.

"Love you kid"

Everyone looked up when they could hear the kitchen door open again, and Sirius stepped through, alone. Remus was almost frowning, but Sirius knew that it wasn't at him. Molly was looking quite accusingly at him, her gaze clearly saying that he should have let her handle it. And that really vexed Sirius. He knew how to take care of his godson! He could be responsible, why would no one else see that?

"Where's Harry?" Arthur asked gently, and Sirius almost snapped at him, expecting the same look that Molly had shot him, but instead he was met with a sad look of understanding, and Sirius deflated.

"He was too tired. I carried him to his bed. Ron and Hermione are keeping an eye on him" Molly's eyes softened considerably and Remus patted him on the back, earning himself a half-hearted eye roll.

Molly and Remus had ushered the kids up to their rooms after everything was cleaned away, and even with great protests they had gone to bed, or at least their rooms. They couldn't force Harry to talk in front of everyone; they knew it would be hard enough for him with just Sirius and even Remus. They were all almost relieved to be able to postpone this talk a bit more. They all needed to gather themselves so they could stay calm when they finally talked with Harry, and a good night's sleep would surely help. Even though Sirius highly doubted that he was going to sleep at all after the day's revelations.

After a long silence, Remus stood up, startling everyone in the ever darkening kitchen.

"I think we all need a calming glass of something. Brandy sound good to everyone?" after everyone had nodded, Remus waved his wand and four glasses zoomed out of one of the cabinets. He walked over to the secret stash they kept spelled shut, mainly because of the twins, and pulled out a mostly full flask. He shot a half amused look at Sirius who shrugged innocently.

The silence continued. And it was slowly but surely driving Sirius insane. It didn't take long before he burst something out, just anything to break the silence.

"I just wish we could know what's happened to him? He certainly isn't going to tell us, but Ron told me he has nightmares, pretty bad ones, and if that book is right he has them pretty often. I just wish we could find out without asking him-"

FLASH

There were some panicked yells around the room, the bang of a chair that was overturned and the 'swisch' of four wands being drawn.

"Is everyone alright? What happened?" Arthur was trying very hard not to panic, he was holding his wife's hand so nothing too bad could have happened, and his head was swirling because of all the sudden movement and light.

"Moony, did that seem familiar to you, because I'm seeing yellow spots again…" Remus's eyes widened and he looked around the room, eyes landing on the small stack of parchment on the table. He hurried forward and this time he didn't hesitate to pick them up. It wasn't a book, and it seemed shorter. He read the title, and frowned scanning down the page before turning to Sirius.

"I think, that when you wished for a way to know about Harry's nightmares, we got this" He waved the parchment unhelpfully, at a loss of what to do. Sirius hesitated, eyeing it unsurely. It felt wrong to go behind his godson's back this way, but it had appeared, and Sirius liked to think it was for of a reason.

"Should we read it?" Sirius glanced at Arthur, who was looking quite torn as well. He was also becoming increasingly worried about Harry, it wasn't just Sirius that cared for the teen after all, and he didn't want Harry to feel like they had gone behind his back. They couldn't damage the fragile trust they had formed with the boy over the years.

"We could maybe help with the nightmares… right?" Remus was almost determined to read it, and when he looked at Sirius he saw the same determined look on his face.

"Arthur dear, I think we should. We could help Harry" Molly reasoned softly. She didn't like this more than the next person, but she thought this would be important. The balding red-headed man finally sighed and relented under the soft gaze of his wife, and nodded to Remus to start. They made their way back to the table and sat down, Sirius righting the chair he had knocked over earlier.

"**The Man With Two Faces," **

"What does that mean?" Sirius was too tense to be able to control himself, and Remus knew this, otherwise he might have been a bit more forceful in his scolding.

"Be quiet and we'll see"

**It was Quirrell.**

"Is this the night when…" Sirius trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Arthur looked at him sadly. He remembered this time, he had gotten a letter from Dumbledore explaining certain things, but he had never known any details, his son refused to speak about it. It had been one of the worst experiences of his life, a letter had arrived explaining that his son had been injured while trying to get to the Philosopher's stone that was hidden in the school. He would have gone and got his son himself if it wasn't for the fact that it was Dumbledore's letter and that Ron was perfectly fine, or that was what it said.

"I believe this is their first year"

"**You!" gasped Harry.**

**Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.**

"**Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."**

"**But I thought — Snape —"**

"Snape? Why would he think Snape would be wherever he is?" Remus looked at Sirius in surprise, but Sirius ignored him. Sure he hated the git, but he didn't believe him evil, or at least anywhere near Voldemort standard.

"Maybe it will say later, but we could always ask Harry tomorrow"

"**Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"**

**Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.**

"**But Snape tried to kill me!"**

"What?" Sirius burst out, all his earlier thoughts flying out the window. He would kill that bastard if he ever hurt a hair on his godson's head, Dumbledore be damned.

"**No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. **

"This just keeps getting better and better, and it's only their first year" Sirius groaned miserably, and they all silently agreed. They hadn't realized how much danger Harry had been in even then, and it was quite unnerving to hear how eleven year old Harry was fighting a fully grown wizard. The confrontation with the Philosopher's stone had been kept quiet, and there were only a handful of people that knew about it, and no one knew the whole deal, except for Harry.

**She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you."**

"**Snape was trying to save me?"**

"**Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. **

Sirius felt a sudden wave of gratitude go through him at that, and he almost shuddered. He was thankful. Of Snape. Maybe he even owed Snape. They were in some kind of truce at the moment, induced by the mutual outlook on the war, but when it came to it they still threw insults at each other when the opportunity arose, which was quite often if he was honest.

Maybe it was time to finally make peace with the git, for his godson's sake. He knew he owed one thing to Snape, and that was an apology. He had grown up over the years, and wasn't proud over how he used to be, but let's not forget that he wasn't the one who started every fight. Snape had been just as big a part of all that, he just used his sharp tongue more than actual weapons. Sirius worked best with pranks and schemes. They were too prideful before, but Sirius was a man who could admit his faults.

**All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."**

They all shuddered and Remus had the overwhelming urge to go check on Harry upstairs. Of course he knew that nothing could have happened, but he was feeling too helpless to sit still.

Molly was holding back tears, clutching her husband's good arm. That poor boy had faced this when he was eleven years old. Her mind flashed with pictures of the small boy she had first met at the platform, and how fragile and tiny he had been. It was hard to imagine the same boy facing something like this. She couldn't stand to think about her children dealing with this kind of stuff, it was everything she was trying to keep them sheltered from.

**Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.**

Sirius's fists clenched on top if his thighs, his nails pressing painfully into his palms. Harry was fine, nothing had happened. Harry was upstairs, sleeping peacefully. And he had Hermione and Ron to watch over him. Sirius had told them to come to him immediately if something happened.

"**You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."**

"**You let the troll in?"**

"Troll? What troll?" Remus burst out, quite incredulous. He was shocked to see that the rest of them looked remarkably composed. He looked questioningly at his friend.

"Harry told me about that incident this summer. I think he let it slip on accident, and when I didn't let go he sort of told, which I'm sure was a very edited version. You know how persistent I can get" Remus did know that, but he also knew how stubborn Harry was.

"How did you know?" He directed towards Molly, who he had been sure would have been more upset.

"Dumbledore wrote to us, I already had time to panic then so I'm trying to not do it again"

"**Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? **

**Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.**

"Three headed dog…" Sirius said faintly. Yeah, his godson had certainly edited his story quite a bit.

"**Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."**

"Mirror?" Remus muttered to himself confusedly. It seemed such a random object, but clearly important if it was even mentioned. What could it do and why was it there? And how in Merlin's pants did Harry get out of there alive?

**It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.**

"How would he know the mirror from before, I have never heard about it and he was raised by… well, there is no way of him ever having heard of it." Arthur winced at his poor choice of words and the look on Sirius's and his wife's face. He was furious himself, but he understood that Harry wouldn't want to talk to him, his best friend's father. It would be embarrassing and probably not very helpful either way. He felt bad for not noticing before though, or believing his sons when they practically told him all those years ago. He was on the same page with Sirius about all this, Harry wouldn't be going back.

"**This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"**

"London? What in Merlin's name is Dumbledore doing in London at a time like this?" Sirius reached beside him to grab his godson and make sure he was alright, but when his hands only found air he looked around himself. He started when he saw that Harry was nowhere to be seen, and it took him a while to remember that Harry was asleep upstairs.

"Ministry stuff most probably, but still you would think that he wouldn't leave the school for too long with something like that hidden inside." Remus was just as worried as Sirius, but tried to control himself. This had already happened, just remember that. They couldn't change this stuff. Harry was alive.

**All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.**

"Good pup, don't fight him!" If this was under normal circumstances Remus would have laughed at the fact that Sirius was telling someone to not fight, but really this was their eleven year old godson facing quite certain death, and the only thing that kept him in his chair was the fact that Harry was upstairs, now fifteen years old. Remus could feel his hair greying by the minute.

Arthur didn't really feel the need to tell the two men that Harry was currently tied and couldn't do anything even if he wanted.

"**I saw you and Snape in the forest —" he blurted out.**

"**Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"**

**Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.**

"**I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"**

**Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.**

If only that didn't mean Quirrell would put all his attention on Harry. Really that kid needed to learn to prioritize. He valued his life far too little.

"**But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."**

The former Marauder's winced. Their actions all those years ago were biting them in the arse now, or Harry's arse. And Harry was the last person to deserve anything that Snape most likely did to him. They would never see eye to eye with the greasy potions professor, but it was time to put this childish and petty grudge behind them. They couldn't be fighting with each other when they needed to unite if they wanted to win this war.

"**Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."**

Harry doesn't know anything about his father, or his mother for that matter. Sirius and Remus glanced at each other, both knowing that they had screwed up once again. Why had they never told Harry any stories about his parents, it had been the best years of their life, surely they weren't that bitter?

"**But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing — I thought Snape was threatening you…"**

**For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.**

"**Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —"**

"Voldemort was _there? _Inside the school!" Molly exclaimed, clutching her husband's arms tightly, not noticing him wince at the pressure.

Sirius shuddered and barely restrained himself from running upstairs. No wonder Harry had nightmares, and this was only their first year? Sirius just couldn't wrap his head around it. Harry was obviously capable of handling much more than they had given credit for, and maybe it would just do more harm to keep him in the dark… he would have to speak with Remus later.

"**You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.**

"**He is with me wherever I go," **

"Run pup run! He's there, get out!" Sirius jumped up from his chair, which banged to the floor once again, and started pacing around the kitchen, fists clenched in his hair, trying to force the sentence that he had just heard out of his head. The only reason he stayed was because he wanted to know how his godson got out of there.

Remus had paled, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"The man with the two faces…" Arthur looked up sharply and met Remus's wide eyes.

"You don't mean… that he would…" Arthur was unable to continue, and glanced at his tearful wife and then at Sirius who evidently hadn't heard what Remus had said.

**said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… **

Sirius snorted, although the sound was a lot harsher than normal. Yes, Quirrell was weak if he believed any of the crap that Voldemort spewed out!

**Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"**

**Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley — how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.**

"Yes, because an eleven year old kid is supposed to be able to figure things like that out!" Harry really was too curious for his own good, and he needed some rules. No risking your life, no sneaking off to fight dark wizards, no sneaking off to fight at all for that matter, and to open up, ask for help! Damn those muggles, because of them his godson thought so little of himself that he had no second thoughts on risking his life. They would have to do something.

**Quirrell cursed under his breath.**

"**I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"**

**Harry's mind was racing.**

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Sirius wasn't sure he wanted Harry to figure out how to stop Quirrell, most probably in a very dangerous way. Maybe he should have just asked Harry and got the edited version. No, he needed to know what had happened, he needed to understand.

**What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?**

Molly groaned. That boy never thought of the risks, what if that vile man had noticed what he was doing? This was why she tried to keep this kind of stuff from the kids, they couldn't understand what all was involved. They were too young to face that much, this must have traumatized the poor dear.

**He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself.**

Sirius paled at the reminder of how helpless Harry really was at the time. Bound by ropes, no spell knowledge or experience, he was bloody eleven for Merlin's sake! Where was Dumbledore when you needed him?

"**What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"**

**And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.**

Sirius's and Molly's eyes widened, and Remus groaned and dropped his head into his hands. So it really was true, Voldemort was there.

"**Use the boy… Use the boy…"**

"No don't! Don't you dare touch my godson! I'll find you-"

"Sirius, calm down. This has already happened, you know Harry is fine" Arthur didn't want Sirius to barge up the stairs and disturb the teens sleep, Harry really needed it bad. And as upsetting as all this was, they needed to remember that it had already happened and that they couldn't change it.

"Yeah I know Arthur, it's just… so hard to hear this and know that I wasn't there to help. There's nothing I can do about it-"

"You can be there for him, he needs you Sirius, you too Remus. You are very important to him, don't forget that" Molly squeezed his hand softly, smiling at him beautifully.

"Thank you for keeping them calm dear, Harry needs his rest" Remus placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder, silently telling him that it wasn't his fault. They couldn't do anything about it. And Arthur was right.

**Quirrell rounded on Harry.**

"**Yes — Potter — come here."**

**He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.**

Sirius sighed a little in relief now that Harry was able to move again, but it was short lived when he focused back in on what Remus was reading. How was it that his godson was still alive today, he seemed to find himself in bad fix's too often for Sirius's liking, Sirius would go grey before Moony.

He glanced over at his friend and was met with a scowl, almost like he knew what Sirius was thinking. But that wasn't possible, right?

"**Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."**

**Harry walked toward him.**

"Lie pup!" Remus felt it would be a waste of time to remind Sirius of this being in the past tense, and he was a bit too wound up himself at the moment.

**I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.**

"Please be convincing" Sirius couldn't remember a time when he had been this fearful about anything. Sure he had been anxious during the war, fearing for his friends. But Harry was the only thing he had left, except Moony. Harry was all that mattered anymore; he was what Sirius lived for.

Harry was the reason why he had obeyed Dumbledore's orders and hadn't left the headquarters except going with his godson to the train station. Harry was the reason why he hadn't gone away and tried to find the rat, he couldn't risk getting caught because that meant leaving Harry, and that wasn't an option.

He would do anything for his godson, and he hoped Harry knew that.

**Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. **

**He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.**

**He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow — incredibly —he'd gotten the Stone.**

"What? How does that work? Surely one of Dumbledore's ideas…" Remus was momentarily distracted by the spell theory behind the mirror, but when Sirius gave him a rather pained look he realized he still held the 'book'.

"Oh sorry, but it is rather fascinating don't you agree?"

"Moony, I need to know what happens, now…"

"**Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"**

**Harry screwed up his courage.**

"**I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I — I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."**

"Not too bad, believable. Let's just hope it works…" Arthur mused to himself, before wincing at the look on everyone's faces. Yes, maybe not the best time.

"Sorry, do continue"

**Quirrell cursed again.**

"See, he believed it"

"Dear, will you be quiet?" Arthur smiled apologetically at his wife. He had never been able to control himself, he started talking when stressed, and it annoyed the people around him immensely.

"**Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Philosopher's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?**

The people in the room were literally holding their breaths as the tension thickened. They knew Harry was fine, but that didn't make hearing this any easier.

**But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.**

"**He lies… He lies…"**

"**Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"**

**The high voice spoke again.**

"**Let me speak to him… face-to-face…"**

"**Master, you are not strong enough!"**

"**I have strength enough… for this…"**

Sirius shuddered, he had never been face to face with Voldemort, and here his eleven year old godson was, facing much more than Sirius could ever compare to. It made him so proud but also so heartbrokenly sad. Harry wasn't supposed to have to do these kinds of things, he was supposed to be playing with his friends, break havoc on the teachers, do homework, and not risk his life facing Voldemort. His childhood had been taken from him and he had been placed in a roll that was impossible to fill, but Sirius knew that if there was one person that could do it, it was Harry.

**Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. **

**What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.**

Sirius was begging Remus to read faster so they could get this all over with, he really needed to go check on Harry after this. Just to make sure.

**Harry would have screamed,**

Remus thought he would scream too, but he forced himself to keep reading.

**but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.**

They all shuddered. Molly was softly crying, her face pressed into her husband's chest, Arthur was stoic in his seat, but his face was etched with disgust and horror, but he just held Molly to him, murmuring in her ear.

Sirius and Remus were looking at each other, pained looks on both their faces. This was too much, no wonder Harry had nightmares. Sirius was shocked his godson didn't seem to be completely traumatized. He really was braver than anyone else Sirius knew.

"**Harry Potter…" it whispered.**

"Get out of there already, just run pup!" Sirius groaned to himself.

**Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.**

"Really not the time to freeze up" Sirius was clutching his head between his hands, and Remus frowned worriedly. This wasn't doing any good, Sirius was this near at breaking, and Remus feared what would happen then.

"**See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapour… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest… **

"What? When did that happen?" There were more questions than answers in this bloody thing, and Sirius thought that maybe it would just have been better to shut up this time or ask Harry.

**and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"**

**So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.**

"Good, run pup!" Remus was all for Harry getting out of there, but didn't want to point out that running would probably just get him killed. Remus shuddered.

"**Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me…or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…"**

"That's a lie! How dare you lie about-" Sirius was almost out of his chair again, glaring at the parchment in Remus's hand. How dare that bastard lie about murdering James and Lily! They were two of the bravest people in the world, and clearly they had passed some of that to their son.

"Sirius, we know that's not true. Calm down so we can continue and get this over with" Sirius balled his fists but sat down again, slumping down on the table. Arthur was watching the two men sadly. He too remembered Lily and James Potter, and knew that they wouldn't have gone down quietly. They would both have done their all to save their son, and in the end they had succeeded. But only if it wouldn't have had such a price.

"**LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.**

"See, Harry knows it too. He will never believe what Voldemort says, you got to believe in him too" Remus whispered to Sirius, sensing that this must have been more than just lying; this was Voldemort for Merlin's sake.

"Yeah I know. It's just… this is hard Remus, really hard" Sirius's voice cracked at the end, and Remus sighed placing a hand on his friends shoulder.

"Yeah, it is"

**Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.**

Sirius shuddered, anger surging through him. That bastard was enjoying this!

"**How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, boy, your parents were brave… I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight… but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."**

"No don't! Don't listen to him, he's tricking you" Sirius yelled, causing Remus to wince and Molly to glance worriedly at the ceiling above her. She didn't want any of the children to wake up and come and check what was going on. They didn't need to share this with everyone, these were Harry's private thoughts and they hadn't even asked permission to read them.

"**NEVER!"**

"That's my pup, don't listen to him!"

"Sirius quiet down! You'll wake everyone up!" Sirius clamped down in his tongue, trying very hard not to glare at anyone. He was worried and scared and seriously close to snapping at someone. He nodded at Molly, trying to show that he had at least heard her, but he just didn't want to risk it.

**Harry sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist.**

"Get your hands off him!" Sirius growled angrily under his breath, mindful of the warning in Remus's eye, but he needn't have bothered, Remus was too angry himself to focus on Sirius. How dare that man do anything to their pup! If Quirrell wasn't already dead Remus would have made sure he died in the most painful and slow way possible.

**At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him.**

"What? I hate to say this but Harry really wasn't that strong at the time to fight off a fully grown man…" Arthur trailed off when three pairs of eyes settled on him, three pairs of very angry eyes, even his wife's puffy red ones were glaring at him.

"Sorry"

**The pain in his head lessened — he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers — they were blistering before his eyes.**

Arthur wanted to say something, just to curb his curiosity. But he didn't want to interrupt anything a second time. Better to just get it done.

"**Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck**

This was just too close to what they had read earlier and Sirius could feel his anger peaking, but instead of barging out of the house to a certain number four to relieve some pent up anger, he slumped down in his chair, pressing his palms into his eyes. They were the closest to his ears, and Sirius was fighting the urge to plug his ears and scream.

— **Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.**

"**Master, I cannot hold him — my hands — my hands!"**

**And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms — Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.**

What was going on? Was Harry doing that, and if he was, how? Remus tried to distract himself from everything he was reading, but it all circled back to the fact that Harry was nearly killed in his first year.

"**Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.**

**Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face —**

"**AAAARGH!"**

**Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.**

"But didn't it just say that it caused his scar to hurt? How is he supposed to hold on?" Molly was beside herself. He was just a child, how could someone do this?

**Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off — the pain in Harry's head was building — he couldn't see — he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"**

"Oh thank Merlin, someone's there" Sirius could literally feel the tension run out of his shoulders, but it didn't get far before it settled as gut-wrenching dread into his stomach.

**He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…**

Remus set the parchment down on the table in front of him, the words ringing in the silence. He looked uncertainly around the kitchen, not really able to think clearly.

"It ended?" Arthur asked, glancing at his sobbing wife and the stoic Sirius.

"Yes" Remus nodded at Arthur when he whispered something softly to Molly and then slowly made their way out of the kitchen.

"Goodnight"

Remus turned to his friend, who was sitting staring straight forward into the wall. What was he thinking, Remus wondered gazing at Sirius.

"Should we go check on Harry?" Sirius's head snapped around, and the chair he had been sitting on banged to the floor, again.

"Yeah, um... that was…"

"Sirius, is something wrong?" Evidently that was the wrong thing to say.

"Yes, there's something wrong! How did this happen? He was bloody eleven, and he did all that by himself! Where was I? Oh yeah, rotting away in Azkaban, whilst my bloody godson was nearly killed! And that was only first year, who knows what happen later? I mean a troll! Why didn't Dumbledore tell us, or even Harry? I've asked him a thousand times and we've talked about school but he's never told me something like this, and then-"

"Sirius, he has nightmares about this, do you really think he wants to dwell on them even more? We may just get to know this, but it happened four years ago. Harry must have come to peace with it a long time ago, and bringing it up again would do more harm than good. He's shared the things he thinks are important" Sirius shoulders visibly slumped and his fists loosened.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that… I feel completely useless."

"I know what you mean. C'mon, let's go to bed" Sirius nodded and followed Remus up the stairs, pausing outside the room that Harry and Ron shared. They glanced at each other before Sirius lightly pushed the door open, revealing the dark room with its two occupants asleep. Sirius glanced at Ron before slowly creeping forward to Harry's bed, peering down at the curled up from under the blankets, Harry's raven hair the only thing really visible.

He stood there with Moony on his side, watching as Harry's chest rose with every breath he took, eyes closed and face peaceful. No nightmares at least tonight. Remus brushed a black lock of hair out of the sleeping teens face before smiling slightly.

"Goodnight Harry" he whispered, smiling softly when Sirius bent down to kiss Harry's forehead and then stroked his cheek gently.

"Yeah, goodnight" They left silently after that, but not before glancing back keeping their eyes on Harry as they closed the door, and then said goodnight and walked in the opposite directions to their own bedrooms, both knowing that they wouldn't get much sleep tonight.

**A/N okay, we are aware that this has been coming for a while now, and we are terribly sorry for the wait. But real life has to catch up sometime and as you all know at a end of a school year there are a lot of test and other projects and grades are important… so yeah! It's long, and hopefully this won't disappoint, I don't think anyone expected us to do anything like this, and we'd like to hear if it was a good idea or if it was just boring? We are planning on having them read the rest of the 'end of the year troubles' and please give opinions on if it's a good idea! **

**Hope no one was terribly disappointed in this chapter, because the talk just wasn't supposed to go here, the setting isn't right. **

**Thanks for all the lovely comments and reviews, you are all AMAZING and we love every one of you! The response to this has been un-freaking-believable and were are gobsmacked that you all like this so much! THANK YOU!**

**Next chapter, Tonks and Moody join in and hopefully it won't get crowded. **


	6. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place

**A/N So people this is the next chapter! We know it's been a terribly long time and we are sorry, but TalksToMirrors was to London and writing possibilities are next to nothing. But this is the LONGEST chapter this far, so we hope that will make up for some of it. **

**Also we can't tell you how much we appreciate all your comments! You have been wonderful and we are so DELIGHTED that you liked the last chapter. We are going to make them read more Nightmare stuff, and we've gotten a lot of wishes of different situations. Aragog… maybe, we aren't sure yet. Graveyard will definitely be one, but it won't come for quite some time. **

**Enjoy people!**

Harry jerked up abruptly in bed, his eyes flicking around the room. After a few tense seconds his shoulders seemed to unwound and he slumped back onto the big pillows.

He could have sworn he heard uncle Vernon creeping about, but that was absurd. He must have been dreaming. Nightmare. It had been a long time since he had dreamt of his relatives last, and he had gotten quite used to it. All this reading about them must have brought it back to the surface. Well, between attacking his friends he would take uncle Vernon's belt anytime. It was just a dream after all, even though it was hard to remember at the time.

It was ridiculous to be having nightmares about something as trivial as uncle Vernon, when people were dying because of Voldemort. He had a crazy psycho killer after his hide and he had jumped up in panic at the thought of his uncle being near. He needed to prioritize.

Well first thing first. Vernon Dursley was not in his bedroom, he was not at Grimmauld Place, and he wasn't even in London for Merlin's sake!

Second, he was hungry. He had not eaten the night before, and after the surprisingly good nights rest, or at least this far, had made his body aware of how hungry it really was.

Third, he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep anymore.

Harry tried to close his eyes, helplessly wishing for unconsciousness, but to no avail. He was not going to get anymore sleep right now. Well, it was probably more than he had gotten in a long time and he was feeling more alert even now in this half groggy state.

He sat up again, slower this time, swinging his legs over the side. It was still dark, but by looking out the window Harry determined that it was probably somewhere around five o'clock, no one would be awake yet. But he was rather hungry, and he knew how to make himself some food.

Harry glanced at the dark lump that was supposedly his best friend, watching the barely visible rise and fall of Ron's chest. Harry would do anything to be able to sleep as easily as Ron. It would be a form of peace Harry never could experience, he had always been a very light sleeper, startling awake at the slightest sound. It was just something that had been ingrained in him since he was younger.

Well at least one of us gets to sleep peacefully, Harry thought as he heaved himself of the bed in the still dark room. He didn't bother to creep silently as Ron slept like the dead, but he was careful with the door, making sure that it didn't creak waking someone in the rooms around them.

It was almost eerie how quiet and dark the house was. Well it was dark anyway, but the presence of the Weasley family and Sirius and Remus seemed to light up the rooms as efficiently as burning the curtains would do. And it certainly was never quiet in the house during the day. Some kind of ruckus was always taking place, Fred and George more often than not the main source.

He was extra careful to not step on the floorboards that creaked, and tip toed past the portrait of Sirius's mother. And then he froze. There were voices coming from the kitchen. So he wasn't the only one awake after all. Should he go back to bed and wait for a couple of more hours… but he really was hungry. He shrugged to himself and opened the door, walking down the stairs loudly, listening to the sudden silence. Good, he was too tired to eavesdrop, he just wanted to eat.

He stepped into the kitchen barely acknowledging Sirius and Remus sitting at the table, both looking too ragged to have been to bed at all. Wonder what they had been doing up all night. He walked to the stove and started making breakfast for himself, indulging in bacon and eggs for the first time in days.

It was silent for a moment; the only sound that was heard through the kitchen was the sizzling of the greasy pan.

"Harry… you do realize you should still be asleep right? What are you doing up?" Remus was half out of his chair, intending to usher Harry to the table and make the food for him. Harry glanced at him and Sirius who was sitting beside him at the table smiling faintly, and then looked back down at the pan he was currently holding. Something in that gaze made Remus sit back down, and he also glanced at Sirius who was still holding the stack of parchment from last night.

They had been re-reading it for the most part of the night. Remus had given up on sleeping quickly and wandered off to the kitchen to maybe find himself something to help settle his frazzled nerves, but instead he had found Sirius sitting at the table clutching at the stack of parchment.

"Sirius… there's nothing we can do about it," It was a sign of how far buried his friend was in his thoughts when he didn't even jump at the sudden voice in the kitchen. He walked over and sat down besides him, gently placing a reassuring hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"I know." it was only a faint whisper, and Sirius's voice cracked at the end, telling Remus that he had cried earlier, and if you looked closer you could see the tear stains streaking down his cheeks. Sirius didn't cry, so this more than anything made Remus doubt.

Remus sighed heavily, and pried the parchment from his fingers, laying it on the table in front of them. They stared at it quietly for a moment, before Sirius finally turned his gaze to him.

"I'm scared Moony." Remus frowned, looking intently at Sirius. There was something wrong, and Remus wasn't sure if there was anything he could do. Sirius's eyes were one of the most expressive things Remus had ever seen, but right now Remus was only reminded by the eyes he had gazed into for the first time after twelve years of lies. Frankly, it scared him.

"Harry is safe Sirius." Remus felt that cold facts would be the best way to go about this and couldn't help to slump in relief a bit when some of the haze in Sirius's eyes faded.

"I know." Sirius frowned thoughtfully. "It's just that… if that is Harry's first year, I'm scared to think of what happens later." Remus was quiet for a while, gazing at Sirius. Had he imagined the darkness in Sirius's eyes or was Sirius really only worried about that?

"Sirius… what's wrong?" Remus watched as emotion flickered behind the firm wall Sirius's used to shield himself with, and waited patiently. Sirius wasn't known for not speaking what was on his mind. But when the silence continued and Sirius looked away, Remus was sure he hadn't imagined the look on his friends face.

"Sirius, tell me what's wrong," he pried gently, ignoring the stubborn look shot his way, Sirius just needed to realize Remus wasn't about to back down.

After a few quiet minutes, Sirius finally sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

"I just have this bad feeling… I'm scared of what's going to happen. Did you see Harry? Well of course you did, but I mean did you see how he was? I can't imagine leaving him alone ever again, and I hate myself for even wanting to go after Wormtail when I know it could end badly! If I'd just-" Sirius laughed harshly, and it sounded more like a sob than anything else. "I mean, Harry wouldn't be able to take it. I know he cares about me, and I love him like a son, but I'm a wanted man Remus, what can I ever provide for him? He needs safety and a family and I 'm on the run and supposedly a murdered, how could he ever want to even live with me? Those bastard muggles he calls family are going to pay for what they did, but where will Harry go? Dumbledore won't listen and will send Harry back there, and-" Remus let Sirius go on for a while, knowing his friend just really needed to get this all of his chest.

"Sirius, listen to yourself! Harry _loves_ you and doesn't care what everyone thinks of you, you are the closest thing he has to a family, a father figure. Don't screw this up by withdrawing into yourself, we need to drag Harry out of his shell not you! Harry needs you, and you need him so stop doubting everything. We are not letting Harry go back there for more than his stuff after all this is over, Dumbledore will have no say in it. He will live with you…" Remus hesitated slightly, but not long enough for Sirius to notice. "With us." It was quiet for a moment before Sirius looked up with wide eyes, and opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it before opening it again.

"W-with us? You mean…" Remus crossed his fingers under the table, hoping Sirius wouldn't deject him.

"Yeah, I've been thinking that I should move here. Keep you company, and with the new situation, help you with Harry. But if you don't want me to-" He didn't get to finish before Sirius had dragged him up from his chair and was fiercely hugging him.

"Of course I want you to move here Moony! Merlin Remus, you would save my life and sanity, I don't think I could take it much longer being here alone with Kreacher! How could you ever doubt that?" Remus shrugged, or as best he could when Sirius was hugging him.

For a moment everything was alright, the last twenty years hadn't happened and two friends were reunited fully in the light of happiness, at three o'clock in the morning in an old and dark kitchen.

Remus shook himself and rubbed his knuckles over his eyes blearily, and Sirius seemed to have come back to reality and quickly shoved the parchment behind his back, silently 'vanishing' them with his wand, hoping Harry hadn't noticed, and catching Remus looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He shrugged before turning to Harry, who was standing with his back to them, fixing something on the stove, looking more relaxed than he had in a very long time and Sirius didn't feel like interrupting.

It didn't take long before the kitchen was filled with the mouth-watering aroma of bacon and orange juice. Sirius stared in amazement at the plate filled with delicious looking food that Harry placed in front of him and glanced up to meet the equally wide eyed Moony across the table.

"Well, this clears up the cooking duties for the summer," Sirius chuckled and happily dug in, but looked up again when he heard the sharp intake of breath and 'clang' of something hitting the floor. Harry was standing there frozen staring at Sirius, and then at Remus before glancing back at Sirius. Sirius frowned worriedly, and was about to stand up when Harry shook his head sharply and bent down to pick up the fork he had dropped. His godson sat down at the table, very careful to not meet their eyes and stared down at his food, not very hungry anymore after all.

"Harry… is something wrong?" the teen shook his head but didn't look up from his plate. Sirius looked at Remus who was also frowning.

"Harry, you know you can tell us anything, what's wrong?" Sirius asked again, reaching with his hand for Harry's shoulder to give a reassuring squeeze, but his godson flinched away. Sirius let his hand drop with a thump on the table and Harry looked up. Sirius blanched on the inside at the blank wall shutting away any emotion in the emerald eyes, once again blaming himself. Remus looked on, not wanting to worsen the situation by asking anything.

Harry glanced down again, wiping furiously under his eyes, and Sirius glanced at Remus before standing up and walking over to Harry, kneeling in front of the distraught teen who was now watching Sirius with impossibly wide and watery eyes. Sirius placed both his hands firmly on Harry shoulders, not removing them even when Harry first cringed away. He waited quietly until Harry met his eyes, and then gently placed his other hand on his godson's cheek, forcing him to keep eye contact.

"Harry, tell us what's wrong. You were fine just a minute ago." Harry shrugged and tried to look away, but Sirius wouldn't let him. Merlin, Sirius must think he was such a baby crying and whining all the time!

"Harry?" The teen in question jumped when he heard Remus's voice so near, having moved when neither Sirius nor Harry had made any move to continue.

"Tell us what's bothering you." Harry's eyes flickered between the two men that he had come to think of as his closest family, not maybe really fathers and Harry despised the word uncle, but maybe as mentors or as guardians. Harry's head swirled with the thought of having actual parents, and he quickly shook the thought away. Even though Sirius had said that…

"Harry…"

"It's just… well, what you said. I mean, I'm going to the Dursley's but you don't think-"

"Harry, I thought we made it clear that we aren't going to let you go back there. You are never living with those muggles again, I promise to-"

"Stop promising!" Sirius and Remus both stumbled back when Harry stood up suddenly. He couldn't stand his head repeating that promise over and over again, tricking him into hoping for something that would never come. And it hurt dammit! Harry could feel tears sliding down his cheeks, but he ignored them as he paced around the room, ignoring the hurt and confused looks on Sirius and Remus face. Sirius was the first to stand up again, and this time he didn't let Harry interrupt him.

"No Harry, I won't stop promising to you. I will never let you live with them again, do you hear me?" Harry turned his head away, smiling bitterly. How many times had he wished for someone to say that, but only now he knew it wouldn't come to pass. "Harry! You need to trust us." He looked at Sirius and then at Remus who had moved to stand besides his godfather and he did trust them, truly he did, but some things were just too complicated for other people to understand.

So Harry decided to let it go, protect Sirius in some way, make him think that he believed, but at the same time keeping the swell of hope at bay and remind himself that it couldn't happen. No one would be safe if he didn't go back to the Dursley's, wherever he went would be a target to the Death Eaters.

"I trust you" Sirius enveloped his godson in a hug, not for a moment believing that Harry was convinced, he would just have to change that little by little, show Harry that he really meant it. Dumbledore could bloody well go and 'avada kedavra' himself if he thought that Sirius was going to give up or back down.

"Good morning people, what are you doing up so-" Sirius released Harry from his vice like grip and turned to the newcomer who had frozen in the doorway, the cheerful smile still fixed on her face.

"Morning Tonks, want some breakfast?" Sirius asked politely and at the same time directed his embarrassed godson back to his seat and cast one pointed look at the untouched plate of food.

"Is everything alright?" Tonks seemed to have noticed the tense expression on everyone's faces and then a quick glimpse at Harry told her something wasn't right, but she wasn't sure they would tell her. She turned to Remus when no one answered, and was met with a gentle smile.

"Everything will be just fine, why don't you sit down. I trust Dumbledore spoke to you?" Tonks nodded confusedly, and Harry averted his eyes back to his plate. Great, someone else to read the books.

"Yeah, he said something about some books, and that we would read them at the Order meeting, or something?" Remus nodded, and placed a glass of orange juice in front of the young auror.

"Thanks, so what are you three doing up at this hour?"

"Couldn't sleep," they all answered at the same time, and Tonks snorted.

"Okay, well I guess we'll have to wait for the others to wake up then," she said with a way too cheerful smile for this time in the morning, but it helped to clear the tension. They sat there and chatted, or Harry sat there and listened when the others talked, and it didn't take long before Mrs. Weasley came downstairs, startling at the sight of the four of them sitting there, but she didn't comment on it when she saw the mostly empty plate in front of Harry, and instead started making breakfast for the others, who slowly started to fill into the kitchen, all looking quite rumpled and groggy.

"Mornin' mate, how long you've been up? You were gone when I woke." Harry shrugged, and smiled when Ron reached for the glass of pumpkin juice in front of him and nearly missed the whole thing because he yawned at the same time. Ron was not an early riser by any means, and would be mostly half asleep before the first class started, even worst if first class was History of Magic.

"I couldn't sleep so I came down here, Sirius and Remus were already awake," he didn't mention how they had probably been up all night, and he was soon sucked into talking with the twins who had evidently gotten over their hurt pride and now wanted to now what Harry had done. He also received a second plate of breakfast and even though he tried to protest he was met with many concerned looks, so grumbling he started picking on the eggs on his plate. Well, it was good.

When everyone was done, they trudged up the stairs into the room they had used the day before, and to no one's surprise Dumbledore and Moody were already there discussing something quite heatedly, but still quietly so Harry had no chance of hearing what was going on. He imagined Moody needed a bit more explaining than Tonks to accept something like this, and at the same time he doubted that Tonks knew the full story yet.

"You do realize Dumbledore that it's very unwise to trust something like that book, I think we should check-"

"Alastor, how poorly do you think of me? I have of course checked for any kind of magic on the books, and I have found nothing. And even you can see the profit of learning the future; we could have this war over by far earlier. I do not say to trust this book a hundred percent, but reading it won't harm anyone." Harry mentally scoffed, but kept his face neutral. Moody scowled for a moment, but then grudgingly nodded and sat down in the chair besides Dumbledore.

"Where's Snape?" Harry startled as the glaringly obvious missing person was mentioned, because frankly he hadn't noticed.

"He had some rather pressing issues to handle, but he will be joining us later on today, not to worry Sirius." Remus chuckled at the disgruntled look on his friends face before directing Tonks into a seat besides him. Dumbledore held the book in his hand, waiting for everyone to sit down, and then handed it to Molly who was next in turn.

"We shall continue to read in order, it will be easier that way," everyone nodded, and Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat and opened the book to the correct page and started reading.

**Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place**

"A whole chapter for this old piece of-"

"Sirius." Remus chided gently, noticing Harry tensing up already, but this time he looked more guilty than anything, and they had only read the chapter title. He also noticed the wary glances Ron and Hermione were sharing and the quite gleeful looks on the twins' faces. Maybe this would be a better chapter if the twins looked that happy, but really you never knew what those two were planning.

"**What's the Order of the -?" Harry began.**

"Potter, you can't go babbling about things like that in public! Have I taught you nothing?" Moody exclaimed glaring at the teen in question, who bit back his retort that Moody never _had_ taught him. Maybe it wasn't the time for that yet.

Molly's beliefs that the children shouldn't be told anything deepened at that. They just didn't realize the risks.

"Yes sir, I know." Moody grumbled but didn't say anything else.

"**Not here, boy!" snarled Moody. "Wait till we're inside!"**

The twins snickered, and blinked innocently when Moody looked at them, with both eyes. You never could be too careful. They had not forgotten the buttocks comment and were hell bent on finding out the story behind it. Harry exchanged a glance with Ron who smiled back; it would be interesting to see how Moody reacted.

**He pulled the piece of parchment out of Harry's hand and set fire to it with his wand-tip. As the message curled into flames and floated to the ground, Harry looked around at the houses again. They were standing outside number eleven; he looked to the left and saw number ten; to the right, however, was number thirteen.**

"**But where's -?"**

"Harry, you really need to work on your patience." Remus shook his head, remembering the annoyance Harry had expressed when he couldn't get the Patronus to work the first time or even second time he tried, even as the mist he had produced was an amazing feat in itself.

"Yeah yeah," Harry rolled his eyes. What was this new thing everyone had on pointing out his mistakes, he realized it by himself alright! He knew that Moody wouldn't have told him anything like that in the middle of the street, he was still just rather shocked at the whole thing. He was taken away from the Dursley's so suddenly that it had still felt a bit unreal.

"**Think about what you've just memorized," said Lupin quietly.**

**Harry thought, and no sooner had he reached the part about number twelve, Grimmauld Place, than a battered door emerged out of nowhere between numbers eleven and thirteen, followed swiftly by dirty walls and grimy windows. It was as though an extra house had inflated, pushing those on either side out of its way. Harry gaped at it. The stereo in number eleven thudded on. Apparently the Muggles inside hadn't felt anything.**

"Of course the muggles didn't feel anything mate, it's magic!" Ron rolled his eyes and snickered with the twins, even as he tried to be a bit more discreet about it, he at least hadn't forgotten last time Harry thought he needed to revenge.

"It was just an observation! I didn't think that they would feel it every time the house appeared," Harry too rolled his eyes again, and Sirius chuckled at the indignant expression on his godson's face.

"**Come on, hurry," growled Moody, prodding Harry in the back.**

"No need to get pushy Mad-Eye," Tonks chastised playfully, and only received a glare in response, but she was pretty much immune to those by now.

Sirius was once again snickering, and the twins were watching Tonks calculatingly, weighing their options it seemed like. The young auror didn't _seem_ to notice, but Harry was sure he could see her lips twitch.

**Harry walked up the worn stone steps, staring at the newly materialized door. Its black paint was shabby and scratched. The silver doorknocker was in the form of a twisted serpent. There was no keyhole or letterbox.**

"How do you notice things like that? I just thought that it was an ordinary old door," Ron could see the door in question in front of him just by Harry's description alone, but he certainly didn't remember what shape the doorknocker was!

Harry shrugged and looked down to hide his ever reddening cheeks. Paying attention to his surroundings came naturally after you've lived with the Dursley's, just so you didn't miss anything, good or bad although mostly bad. And after he stepped into the magical world that was filled with wonders of every kind, he felt like he never wanted to close his eyes again, he just didn't want to miss anything, maybe it could save his life in the future. Noticing a particular stain while cleaning saved him from his aunt's tirade later on, and hiding when he saw that his uncle was in a particularly foul mood probably saved him a punishment or two.

"It's certainly something that any auror should be able to do!" Moody admitted grudgingly, not wanting to show that he had noticed Potter's confidence issue, what was with the blush on the kid's face, it was a simple bloody compliment, something he didn't give often even though Potter wasn't a hopeless case by far. There was something that Albus hadn't told him even though he was fairly confident in his own abilities to pick up on it sooner or later. Moody also noticed the look exchanged between Black and Lupin over Potter's head, and the proximity between Nymphadora's and Lupin's chairs. Hmm, there was certainly more going on than anyone cared to share.

**Lupin pulled out his wand and tapped the door once. Harry heard many loud, metallic clicks and what sounded like the clatter of a chain. The door creaked open.**

"Run while you still can." Sirius muttered under his breath, and Harry eyes his godfather worriedly. He didn't like the effect being locked in here had on Sirius and he feared that he would do something reckless without thinking if the opportunity arose to get out. Harry didn't want to loose his godfather; he wouldn't be able to take it.

"**Get in quick, Harry," Lupin whispered, "but don't go far inside and don't touch anything."**

"Best advise you could give in this house," Sirius muttered, and this time it wasn't only Harry who eyed him worriedly. Remus also didn't like the bitterness in Sirius's voice, and hoped that him moving in would help at least a little. Remus knew very well why Sirius didn't want to ever come here again and now having to live here alone with Kreacher; well Sirius was probably slowly going mad, or even madder than he already was.

**Harry stepped over the threshold into the almost total darkness of the hall. He could smell damp, dust and a sweetish, rotting smell; the place had the feeling of a derelict building. He looked over his shoulder and saw the others filing in behind him, Lupin and Tonks carrying his trunk and Hedwig's cage. Moody was standing on the top step releasing the balls of light the Put-Outer**

"Do you have it, sir?" Fred asked suddenly, remembering that Dumbledore had promised to show it some time.

"Indeed I do." Everyone watched interestedly at the headmaster as Dumbledore carefully extracted the small silver devise from his purple robe pocket.

"It is called a deluminator, one of my own designs actually. When you click this-" Dumbledore demonstrated directing the 'deluminator' at the light in the room, and they were suddenly enveloped in darkness. "-and it sucks in the light into this vacuum, causing darkness." They could all hear Moody grumbling and someone's rather heavy breathing that you didn't pay attention to otherwise.

"Cool, sir! Can we try?" The voice's of the twins came from somewhere in the darkness, but so did also Mrs. Weasley's. Sirius took the opportunity to move closer to Harry silently, hoping no one had noticed. Especially Harry or Remus, he just wanted to be closer, try to comfort Harry without embarrassing him in front of his friends.

"Not now at least, we really do need the light to continue reading, I can't see a thing Albus!"

""Yes of course Molly, I do apologize for the interruption." The light flickered back, and Moody glared at everyone suspiciously, doubling back over Tonks who waved cheerfully as the magic eye never left her.

"Oh come on Mad-Eye, I didn't do anything!"

"I'll believe it when I see it."

**had stolen from the streetlamps; they flew back to their bulbs and the square glowed momentarily with orange light before Moody limped inside and closed the front door, so that the darkness in the hall became complete.**

"**Here -"**

**He rapped Harry hard over the head with his wand; Harry felt as though something hot was trickling down his back this time and knew that the Disillusionment Charm must have lifted.**

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. That made sense, she did like hearing about different spells and how they affected the targets, or at least these kinds of harmless spells. It helped her understand them better than just reading the theory behind it, and Harry really was good at describing.

"**Now stay still, everyone, while I give us a bit of light in here," Moody whispered.**

**The others' hushed voices were giving Harry an odd feeling of foreboding; it was as though they had just entered the house of a dying person.**

"Well one positive thing about all this, my mother is already dead!" Sirius smiled lightly, but no one missed the tightness behind his normally quite bright eyes.

"Sirius, quit it. You're doing it again," Remus hissed, eyeing a worried looking Harry. Sirius also looked over at his godson, Harry did know to a certain extent why he hated his family, but well he hadn't told him the whole story, and he could understand why Harry didn't really understand all his bitterness. Or maybe he did, the Dursley's surely hadn't given him any positive memories. Having Bella as a cousin wasn't all sunshine and daisies either.

**He heard a soft hissing noise and then old-fashioned gas lamps sputtered into life all along the walls, casting a flickering insubstantial light over the peeling wallpaper and threadbare carpet of a long, gloomy hallway, where a cobwebby chandelier glimmered overhead and age-blackened portraits hung crooked on the walls. Harry heard something scuttling behind the baseboard. Both the chandelier and the candelabra on a rickety table nearby were shaped like serpents.**

"Again mate, how do you notice stuff like that!" Hermione whacked Ron on the arm, silently eyeing him sternly. And the look was so similar to the one his mother and Professor McGonagall usually give him that he shut up without further command.

Harry watched this discretely, sharing a smile with the twins, even though he didn't think his was just so mischievous. Ginny also noticed and rolled her eyes, her brother could be so clueless most of the time with things like that, she had of course shared many night time talks with Hermione through the years and was equally as aware of the feelings on that side as Hermione was of her crush on Harry.

**There were hurried footsteps and Ron's mother, Mrs. Weasley, emerged from a door at the far end of the hall. She was beaming in welcome as she hurried towards them, though Harry noticed that she was rather thinner and paler than she had been last time he had seen her.**

Arthur frowned distraughtly; he had also noticed this a long time ago, but his wife didn't have time to worry about herself when she was so worried about everyone else, and it didn't help his peace of mind at all. These books would help them win this war and then rebuild the world they lived in, because it would be foolish to think that there would be no casualties, all he could do was hope his family and friends wouldn't be part of them.

"**Oh, Harry, it's lovely to see you!" she whispered, pulling him into a rib-cracking hug before holding him at arm's length and examining him critically. "You're looking peaky; you need feeding up, but you'll have to wait a bit for dinner, I'm afraid."**

"Harry dear, you aren't hungry at all? I could make a-"

"No thank you Mrs. Weasley, really I'm fine." Harry tried very hard to keep the annoyance out of his voice, and was quite sure he succeeded when she smiled and turned back to the book, but then Sirius nudged him gently, eyeing him sternly. Right, she was just concerned, just like Sirius himself and every other person in the room. Well their concern was a bit bloody late, now wasn't it!

**She turned to the gang of wizards behind him and whispered urgently, "He's just arrived, the meetings started."**

**The wizards behind Harry all made noises of interest and excitement and began filing past him towards the door through which Mrs. Weasley had just come. Harry made to follow Lupin, but Mrs. Weasley held him back.**

"I want to-"Harry started loudly, but was shushed by Remus.

"Harry, we know you want to join, but you are still underage-"

"Well, why can't we join then? We're not underage anymore-" The twins said, eyeing the adults in the room closely. They knew they still wouldn't be allowed, but they needed to know why. Was it only because of their mother, or was it someone else who objected too?

"No! Absolutely not! You will not join the order! It's too dangerous and-" Molly screeched, almost dropping the book. Why did all her babies want to fight, risk their lives in such a way?

Tonks looked pensive, she could understand both sides of this argument, and she really didn't want to see any of these people hurt not anyone at all in fact, but who were they to forbid them from fighting for their own believes and rights. This was all so complicated. She was sure her own mother hated her chosen profession, but at the same her parents accepted it and lived with the knowledge that anything could happen, she too knew the risks.

Sirius was unnaturally quiet, caught in a staring match with his godson, who was refusing to back down. Sirius had always been on the twins side, but now that he had that same responsibility as Molly, he just couldn't imagine letting Harry get in such a situation. The only difference was that Harry couldn't choose not to be involved, Voldemort wanted his pup dead and Harry had no other option but to fight. His poor boy, never knowing real life.

Dumbledore looked on, a deep sadness weighing his heart. These children should never have to know war or have to fight at all. This was the sole reason he couldn't object the reading of these books, they would end this war and let future generations live in peace. They all deserved the chance to fight of course, and Dumbledore wouldn't deny them it, just like every adult these children knew what was at stake. But meddling with the future could be a very dangerous thing. They could all only hope.

"We just want to keep you safe. But we realize that we can't decide this for you forever, that's why we ask that you at least finish school before you join, please," Arthur sighed heavily interrupting the sure to be fight. The twins nodded at their father.

Ron and Hermione were both very quiet this whole time, knowing that they had almost as little choice in all this as Harry. They had decided what path to take that first year, going down that trapdoor had almost been like a bond forming between them, they couldn't abandon each other. They both shuddered at the mere thought of letting Harry face all this alone, Order or not.

"Please Harry, I know you want to fight, I understand! But please let us keep you safe when we still have that chance. I think we should tell you _some_ things," Sirius locked eyes with Dumbledore "but joining the Order is more than just sitting in on the meetings, please consider that." Harry broke their gaze, grudgingly nodding at Sirius. Of course he understood, Voldemort had been after him his whole life, he knew the danger! And Sirius worry warmed him in ways he hadn't felt many times before. He was truly cared for.

"**No, Harry, the meetings only for members of the Order. Ron and Hermione are upstairs, you can wait with them until the meetings over, then we'll have dinner. And keep your voice down in the hall," she added in an urgent whisper.**

"**Why?"**

"Well you wouldn't want to wake up the banshee, now would you?"

"Oh right, you take care of that part on your own." The twins snickered, already over the previous tension, enjoying the flush that covered Harry's face. Harry had very impressive lungs they had to admit, and they feared the day it would be directed at them, but until them they would seize every moment to remind him of this particular demonstration. No reminders that he was rather justified in his anger.

"Shut up" Harry said, shooting a apologetic look to his friends and avoid the curious eyes of Sirius and Remus, who had not heard Harry shout before and as the Order meeting, and the whole house for that matter, was warded with many silencing spells they had not heard that conversation.

Hermione smiled at her friend, she didn't blame him for shouting at them, he shouldn't have done it but she understood why he had been angry, now more than ever after reading this.

"**I don't want anything to wake up."**

"Well that sounds creepy" Tonks snorted. She had been to this house one time before it became the Order headquarters, and that was when she was six years old. Sirius had once again been babysitting her, much to young Nymphadora's charging, and he had brought her here. Just for a moment and only because his parents had been away at the time, they would not have taken kindly to the blood traitors daughter being there when they didn't even tolerate the fact that Sirius was spending time with _'it'_. Sirius had needed something from his room and had quickly run of to get it, telling her not to touch _anything _and to not walk off anywhere.

Well of course she hadn't listened.

That was the first time she had stumbled into that troll foot and at the same time somehow managed to crash a chandelier. To this day she didn't know how she had done it, and Sirius had rushed her away from there as quickly as he could.

"**What d'you -?"**

"**I'll explain later, I've got to hurry, I'm supposed to be at the meeting - I'll just show you where you're sleeping."**

**Pressing her finger to her lips, she led him on tiptoe past a pair of long, moth-eaten curtains, behind which Harry supposed there must be another door,**

"I wish." Sirius grumbled, but he didn't sound quite so bitter anymore. He could see that this was all once again affecting Harry and he didn't want to be part of that, so he would take Moony's advice and tone down his self pity moaning.

"Isn't there anyway you could get that painting down?" Harry inquired softly, gauging the reactions of his godfather.

"It's house-elf magic keeping it up there in the first place, so without Kreacher? No. It must have been one of my mother's orders to hang it up there and not take it down, so Kreacher won't help us, and nothing we do can get it down." Sirius explained sullenly, casting a look around the room, like he was expecting to see the elf lurking around. Harry nodded, but at the same time he couldn't help but wonder… he would have to ask Hermione later.

**and after skirting a large umbrella stand that looked as though it had been made from a severed troll's leg**

Tonks grumbled playfully, and Remus chuckled lightly. He didn't know anyone else who could manage to trip over the same thing _every day _at least once.

Moody also rolled his eyes, but if you looked close you could see the small quirk of his lips that was maybe the start to a fond smile. He quickly wiped that off his face.

**they started up the dark staircase, passing a row of shrunken heads mounted on plaques on the wall. A closer look showed Harry that the heads belonged to house-elves. All of them had the same rather snout-like nose.**

It was Hermione's time to grumble now, but she couldn't even get started in her tirade before something shocked her so severely that she became speechless. Ron had grabbed her hand, and was now leaning forward slightly to whisper in her ear. She could already feel herself start to blush.

"It's not the time, sorry, but look Sirius is already looking rather bad. Don't worry we know it's not right." Normally she would have felt quite offended to be cut off so readily, but really, Ron was holding her hand.

Merlin, she was so pretty when she blushed. Ron shook himself firmly, missing the knowing glances exchanged between the twins, Ginny and Harry. Molly and Arthur also shared a happy smile.

**Harry's bewilderment deepened with every step he took. What on earth were they doing in a house that looked as though it belonged to the darkest of wizards?**

Sirius grumbled, regretting ever suggesting this place as headquarters, and at the same time knowing that it had been a good idea, and that it was one of the most protected places on this continent. It was all for Harry, Sirius just wanted him to be safe, he could handle this place as long as Harry was safe.

"**Mrs. Weasley, why -?"**

"**Ron and Hermione will explain everything, dear, **

"As soon as you'll give them a chance to," Fred snickered at the flush on Harry's face that still hadn't seemed to go away completely.

"Fred, I'm warning you. Shut up," Fred did as he was told after a particularly nasty look from Harry, which really didn't look that nasty at all because of the blush on his face. He snickered with his twin.

**I've really got to dash," Mrs. Weasley whispered distractedly. "There -" they had reached the second landing, "- you're the door on the right. I'll call you when it's over."**

**And she hurried off downstairs again.**

**Harry crossed the dingy landing, turned the bedroom doorknob, which was shaped like a serpents head, and opened the door.**

**He caught a brief glimpse of a gloomy high-ceilinged, twin-bedded room; then there was a loud twittering noise, followed by an even louder shriek, and his vision was completely obscured by a large quantity of very bushy hair.**

Hermione blushed as the twins snickered, glaring at Ron when she noticed his pinched expression.

"Oh just laugh, I was exited! We all missed Harry and I was worried!" Harry smiled at Hermione, touched at her concern. He felt awful for ever thinking that they didn't care about him anymore, that they had just abandoned him at the Dursley's. He really shouldn't have shouted at them-

"Harry, stop thinking like that. You know we don't blame you in the least," Hermione said firmly noticing the very shameful look on her friend's face, Ron nodding besides her.

"Yeah, mate we understood why you did it." Harry smiled back albeit a little weakly.

The rest of the room was looking on curiously, and very much in awe at how connected the three of them seemed to be. Sirius smiled warmly at Remus, fondly remembering similar days in their past. Harry had good friends, that was for sure.

**Hermione had thrown herself on to him in a hug that nearly knocked him flat, while Ron's tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, zoomed excitedly round and round their heads.**

"**HARRY! Ron, he's here, Harry's here!**

"I didn't notice," Ron chuckled almost fondly, but stopped when she turned to glare at him. He smiled apologetically and squeezed her hand that he was still holding, a fact that he was painfully aware of. She blushed again, and he was barely able to tear his eyes away.

Harry smirked from his place besides Sirius, glad that his clueless friends could maybe finally start noticing something, something that everyone else had noticed ages ago.

**We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless - but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got things to tell us - the Dementors! When we heard - and that Ministry hearing - it's just outrageous, I've looked it all up, they can't expel you, they just can't, there's provision in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life-threatening situations -"**

"**Let him breathe, Hermione," **

"Or maybe take a deep breath yourself! Merlin! How did you do that?" George looked at her fascinatingly.

"Don't you _need_ to breathe?" Fred intoned. Hermione rolled her eyes, mumbling something that sounded very defensive even though no one really could make out what she said, except for Ron who chuckled.

**said Ron, grinning as he closed the door behind Harry. He seemed to have grown several more inches during their month apart, making him taller and more gangly looking than ever, though the long nose, bright red hair and freckles were the same.**

"Thanks mate, you really spare no feelings do you?" Ron smirked playfully, firm in telling Harry silently that he wasn't mad. It really wasn't that bad of a description after all.

Harry snorted, but looked a bit sheepish.

"Well, at least my description is as bas as yours," he offered smiling at his best friend.

**Still beaming, Hermione let go of Harry, but before she could say another word there was a soft whooshing sound and something white soared from the top of a dark wardrobe and landed gently on Harry's shoulder.**

"**Hedwig!"**

**The snowy owl clicked her beak and nibbled his ear affectionately as Harry stroked her feathers.**

"**She's been in a right state," said Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this -"**

Ron, Hermione and Sirius winced slightly, but quickly smiled again when Harry looked at them all extremely guilty.

"I really am so sorry-"

"Harry…"

"Yeah right, sorry," Ron rolled his eyes, but grinned reassuringly when Harry looked up. He wasn't mad at him; really, looking back on it he could see why Harry had been so angry at them.

**He showed Harry the index finger of his right hand, which sported a half-healed but clearly deep cut.**

"**Oh, yeah," Harry said. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know -"**

Harry bit his lip to stop himself from once again apologizing, but Sirius noticed either way.

"It really is fine Harry, just don't do it again please." Remus rolled his eyes but smiled slightly when Sirius reached out and ruffled Harry's hair, making it even worse from before.

"**We wanted to give them to you, mate," said Ron. "Hermione was going spare, she kept saying you'd do something stupid if you were stuck all on your own without news, but Dumbledore made us -"**

"Well I was right wasn't I? You were thinking of flying to The Burrow, and you were picking fights with you cousin," Hermione caught the look on Harry's face and quickly continued. "Okay, he deserved it, but really Harry he is ten times bigger than you! What were you thinking?" Harry shrugged sheepishly, but rolled his eyes. Hadn't they just read about what he was thinking at the time? He just needed to outlet some of his frustration, and Dudley really was the easiest one to rile up.

"**- swear not to tell me," said Harry. "Yeah, Hermione's already said."**

**The warm glow that had flared inside him at the sight of his two best friends was extinguished as something icy flooded the pit of his stomach. All of a sudden - after yearning to see them for a solid month — he felt he would rather Ron and Hermione left him alone.**

Hermione and Ron saw the look on Harry's face, and didn't even let him start.

"We know you didn't really mean it Harry. You were angry," Harry smiled thankfully, but he was also getting a bit annoyed how no one let him apologize. He had been stupid and insensitive and now he wanted to make up for it some how, they just wouldn't let him.

**There was a strained silence in which Harry stroked Hedwig automatically, not looking at either of the others.**

Fred and George looked at each other gleefully. It wouldn't be long now…

"**He seemed to think it was best," said Hermione rather breathlessly. "Dumbledore, I mean."**

"**Right," said Harry. He noticed that her hands, too, bore the marks of Hedwig's beak and found that he was not at all sorry.**

"I am-"

"Harry, I know!" Hermione almost rolled her eyes when Harry once again tried to apologize over something that she really didn't blame him for. He had been forgiven ages ago.

"**I think he thought you were safest with the Muggles -" Ron began.**

"**Yeah?" said Harry, raising his eyebrows. "Have either of you been attacked by Dementors this summer?"**

Sirius cast a meaningful look Dumbledore's way, sticking by his point. But the headmaster didn't see it, so Sirius was left scowling to himself once again.

"**Well, no-but that's why he's had people from the Order of the Phoenix tailing you all the time-"**

"Really Ron? You really said that?" Ginny groaned, shaking her head. No wonder Harry was angry, she would have been livid too if she was being followed and she was the only one to not know about it.

"Yeah, we don't-"

"-blame you at all! Feel like giving a repeat performance?" Fred finished hopefully, ignoring his huffing sister beside him. His brother sure knew how to pick the worst things to say, and the best too, when he really felt like it. Well, one thing was for sure, Ron would never be a Slytherin.

"Oh shut up!" Ron grumbled, but his ears were red. He knew it had been a stupid thing to say as soon as the words had left his mouth, but it was too late then, wasn't it?

"Repeat performance of what?" Tonks asked curiously, seeing the confused looks on Sirius and Remus face too. They had clearly missed something while at the meting.

"The book will tell you soon I guess…" Harry groaned quietly, but didn't say anything else. He rather thought he deserved whatever the others would think after hearing how he had yelled at his best friends.

**Harry felt a great jolt in his guts as though he had just missed a step going downstairs. So everyone had known he was being followed, except him.**

"**Didn't work that well, though, did it?" said Harry, doing his utmost to keep his voice even. "Had to look after myself after all, didn't I?"**

"Like always…" Harry sighed to himself, not yet having realized that Sirius was sitting closer. So therefore he jumped slightly, when his godfather's voice suddenly whispered into his ears.

"What did you say?" Sirius was frowning, not liking what he thought he heard at all.

"Nothing."

"**He was so angry," said Hermione, in an almost awestruck voice. "Dumbledore. We saw him. When he found out Mundungus had left before his shift had ended. He was scary."**

"**Well, I'm glad he left," Harry said coldly. "If he hadn't, I wouldn't have done magic and Dumbledore would probably have left me at Privet Drive all summer."**

Dumbledore frowned to himself. Indeed he would.

Sirius glared at the headmaster, rubbing his godson's shoulder reassuringly, pleased when the bitter grumbling stopped for a moment.

"You won't be going back there." Harry didn't meet his eyes, but Sirius understood why now, so he didn't press more, at least right now.

"**Aren't you… aren't you worried about the Ministry of Magic hearing?" said Hermione quietly.**

"**No," Harry lied defiantly.**

Now Hermione did glare at her friend. It was just so like him to lie about something like that!

"Hermione, you know I'm bad at stuff like that…" her gaze softened considerably, when Harry met her eyes for a moment before looking away again. Yeah, she knew. The three of them sighed heavily at the exact same time, and then looked up at each other surprised.

The twins laughed, whilst the adults in the room watched the trio closely, most of them with a small smile on their lips. Sirius and Remus in particular felt hugely relieved to know that Harry was not alone in all this.

The three of them shared a smile when Mrs. Weasley continued reading

**He walked away from them, looking around, with Hedwig nestled contentedly on his shoulder, but this room was not likely to raise his spirits. It was dank and dark. A blank stretch of canvas in an ornate picture frame was all that relieved the bareness of the peeling walls, and as Harry passed it he thought he heard someone, who was lurking out of sight, snigger.**

"I would be careful what you say in front of that frame if I were you," Sirius advised the teenagers seriously, shooting a look Dumbledore's way, ignoring the raised eyebrow on Remus face.

They looked at each other suspiciously, before nodding carefully at Sirius, all wondering just what Sirius meant, but not really wanting to ask anyway.

"**So why's Dumbledore been so keen to keep me in the dark?" Harry asked, still trying hard to keep his voice casual. "Did you - er - bother to ask him at all?"**

**He glanced up just in time to see them exchanging a look that told him he was behaving just as they had feared he would. It did nothing to improve his temper.**

"Really too observant," Ron muttered playfully, ducking the smack Hermione was sure to send his way. Harry scowled half-heartedly, really not liking the reminder of how he was acting in the book. He had been so ashamed of himself afterwards, even though in some way it had felt good to get it off his chest, if only he hadn't done it to his best friends, his family. He didn't want to be like uncle Vernon; he wanted to treat his family like one should treat your loved ones. Because really, what other family did he have?

"**We told Dumbledore we wanted to tell you what was going on," said Ron. "We did, mate. But he's really busy now, we've only seen him twice since we came here and he didn't have much time, he just made us swear not to tell you important stuff when we wrote, he said the owls might be intercepted."**

Molly nodded to herself. It had been good that Dumbledore had forbidden them from writing anything to do with the order. Imagine what could have happened if a death eater or the Ministry would have gotten hands on a letter like that! She herself had very much forbidden them from writing, but she had feared that it wouldn't have mattered much anyway, they had needed to see it wasn't just their mother who was against it, Arthur sure wasn't going to back her up firmly enough.

"**He could still've kept me informed if he'd wanted to," Harry said shortly. "You're not telling me he doesn't know ways to send messages without owls."**

**Hermione glanced at Ron and then said, "I thought that, too. But he didn't want you to know anything."**

Sirius winced mentally. That had also been a very stupid thing to say to Harry. It would only have resulted in his godson becoming even more doubtful and mistrusting. He really had his work cut out for him if he wanted to convince Harry of anything.

"**Maybe he thinks I can't be trusted," said Harry, watching their expressions.**

"On the contrary, I find you very trustworthy," Dumbledore said calmly, but Harry could still not really calm down properly, after all what were a couple of words not even spoken face to face when actions told you so much more. Harry had still not looked his headmaster in the eyes properly, and he found it very frustrating. He had a much easier time understanding the cryptic messages woven in Dumbledore's words when he could watch his headmaster's eyes for clues or hidden meanings.

"**Don't be thick," said Ron, looking highly disconcerted.**

"I don't think that's possible Ron," George snickered, watching Harry glare at him and then at Fred even though his twin hadn't said anything.

"Hey, what are you glaring at little ol' me for? I didn't do anything!" Harry watched them both for a moment before rolling his eyes.

"You were going to," George looked at his brother and shrugged. It was the truth after all.

"**Or that I can't take care of myself."**

"**Of course he doesn't think that!" said Hermione anxiously.**

Really it was quite incredible how well Harry could read them. She had been trying very hard not to sound too upset or worried, but clearly Harry had looked right through her. She had been rather sure of what was coming next even then, but she had still been shocked. Harry didn't yell at people, that wasn't how he dealt with things. Quiet intimidation was more like it, and usually if Harry was angry you could feel the power present in the room with him. It made him very good at getting people to listen to him.

"**So how come I have to stay at the Dursleys' while you two get to join in everything that's going on here?" said Harry, the words tumbling over one another in a rush, his voice growing louder with every word. "How come you two are allowed to know everything that's going on?"**

"**We're not!" Ron interrupted. "Mum won't let us near the meetings, she says we're too young -" But before he knew it, Harry was shouting.**

Sirius had not been expecting that, but he felt that it had probably been good for Harry to get all that off his chest, because his godson had not acted this way with him. Sirius snickered slightly; yeah he had gotten the good end of this one. But at the same time, Harry shouldn't have taken out his anger on his friends, but when he looked over at the dark haired teen slumped in his chair, hanging his head shamefully… well, clearly he regretted it.

Remus on the other hand was worried how this had affected the teen's friendship. They had neither seemed upset or angry with Harry at all, and they had never suspected anything had gone down when Harry arrived. He would have to talk to Harry again, this time on keeping his feelings to himself. It wasn't good to hold it in until you burst.

"**SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU'VE STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN'T YOU? YOU'VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME, I'VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS' FOR A MONTH! AND I'VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO'VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS IT - WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE? WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?"**

"Sorry-" Harry tried once again. But as always he got cut off.

"Well, it's true you know, you did-" Ron started, but was cut off when Harry looked at him incredulously.

"What? You think I could have done even half of that by myself?" Harry looked back and forth between his two best friends. How could they think that? He would be dead if it wasn't for them; he owed them his life many times over. Why could no one see that? "Who beat the giant chess set?" Ron had to stop himself from puffing out his chest when Hermione squeezed his hand, "Who saved our necks from the Devils Snare, who solved the mystery of the chamber, whilst petrified!" Hermione blushed slightly, and smiled softly at Harry. "And you know… I could never fight off a dementor without you guys," Harry looked down again, and Hermione could feel the tears spring to her eyes. They were his happy thoughts, she felt so warm at that little confession and she wanted to jump up and hug him, but she couldn't find it in herself to let go of Ron's hand.

Sirius on the other hand was staring at the trio a bit dumbfounded. Devils Snare, giant chess set… petrified? He looked over at Moony who was also looking alarmed, he was just better at hiding it. Even though Sirius did see his friends hand firmly grasped in his little cousin's one, and he suspected that was another part of the sudden control Remus had found over his emotions.

Moody was watching the three kids closely. The team they presented was deadly, and with some training they would be unstoppable, but they were young. He might believe that everyone should know how to fight and defend themselves, but there was a line between slaying children by sending them into battle and teaching them how to protect themselves. Sadly it seemed that these three would never know complete innocence again, especially not that Potter boy. The kid might deny it all he wanted, but he was something special to have managed to get out of the tough fixes he seemed to always find himself in, alive. There were deep scars woven underneath the surface on that boy, and it took an extremely good and strong person to be able to overcome that. The boy was a true hero, like it or not. Moody wouldn't object to having that kid on his team of auror's, that's for sure.

Fred and George sighed in disappointment. Their mother was sure not to yell like Harry had, and that put a slight damper to the funniness of the situation. Well, you can't get all in life and really they did not want to interrupt their mother too much, she might get mad.

**Every bitter and resentful thought Harry had had in the past month was pouring out of him: his frustration at the lack of news, the hurt that they had all been together without him, his fury at being followed and not told about it**

Arthur winced slightly. Looking at that summer from Harry's perspective sure didn't paint them in a very positive light. Harry had been miserable, and they should have realized everything sooner. He sighed heavily. They would have to open their eyes and look at everything more closely. The order was admittedly a bit closed minded.

**- all the feelings he was half-ashamed of finally burst their boundaries. Hedwig took fright at the noise and soared off to the top of the wardrobe again; Pigwidgeon twittered in alarm and zoomed even faster around their heads.**

"**WHO HAD TO GET PAST DRAGONS AND SPHINXES AND EVERY OTHER FOUL THING LAST YEAR? WHO SAW HIM COME BACK? WHO HAD TO ESCAPE FROM HIM? ME!"**

Every adult in that room looked down at that. It had been a terrible mistake, a mistake that nearly cost Harry's life. Instead Harry had paid the price, as usual. He had been forced to partake in a deadly tournament meant for wizards and witches' with a complete education, not for a fourteen year old boy. And then, they had all failed to see the impostor in their mist and Harry had been taken before their eyes. They carried the blame for the events Harry had gone through that year, watching a fellow student get murdered and then nearly dying time and time again.

Sirius once again felt the overwhelming urge to check every inch of Harry to make sure that his godson was fine and unharmed. But reality stopped him. Harry was sitting besides him and he was clearly breathing and relatively happy at the moment.

Moody was growling under his breath. That time spent at the bottom of a trunk had not been easy or comfortable. He even admitted to himself that he was feeling a tiny bit guilty. Maybe if he had been there he could have solved the mystery before it could go as far as drag Potter into it, but the tournament would still have taken place, against the better judgment of all of the teachers at Hogwarts. It was a very dangerous event and there was a reason why the tradition had been stopped. That dunderhead of a minister would have to be disposed of as soon as possible, but it wasn't the easiest thing to do with all the webs of lies Fudge had created around himself.

**Ron was standing there with his mouth half-open,**

"A stunning look on you, youngest brother of mine," Fred laughed, even though his joke fell flat in the tension of the room. Well Harry at least appreciated the effort as he was rolling his eyes their way.

"Oh shut up!" Ron said weakly, feeling rather insignificant in the very heavy silence in the room. His mother's voice was the only sound heard through the house.

**clearly stunned and at a loss for anything to say, while Hermione looked on the verge of tears.**

Harry frowned to himself. He didn't like himself very much at the moment, and he knew he had been terrible that day; he didn't need anyone else to tell him that.

"**BUT WHY SHOULD I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY SHOULD ANYONE BOTHER TO TELL ME WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?"**

"**Harry, we wanted to tell you, we really did -" Hermione began.**

"**CAN'T'VE WANTED TO THAT MUCH, CAN YOU, OR YOU'D HAVE SENT ME AN OWL, BUT DUMBLEDORE MADE YOU SWEAR–"**

"**Well, he did -"**

"**FOUR WEEKS I'VE BEEN STUCK IN PRIVET DRIVE, NICKING PAPERS OUT OF BINS TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON -"**

The people in the room seemed to have come to a conclusion to let Molly finish reading this before interrupting. It was all making the room uncomfortable enough anyway.

"**We wanted to -"**

"**I SUPPOSE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A REAL LAUGH, HAVEN'T YOU, ALL HOLED UP HERE TOGETHER -"**

Fred and George were feeling slightly intimidated. They knew Harry was capable of raising his voice, they had bloody well heard it through the walls! But that kid really had a pair of lungs! They were currently revaluating their efforts to make Harry so mad he would go off again. Was it worth the effort? We'll see…

Molly was frowning. She hadn't known Harry felt this way; he never seemed to portray these feelings to any of the adults.

"**No, honest -"**

"**Harry we're really sorry!" said Hermione desperately, her eyes now sparkling with tears. "You're absolutely right, Harry - I'd be furious if it was me!"**

Hermione nodded to herself, completely agreeing with her past self. She would have been equally as furious if she knew she had been followed without her knowing.

Harry just felt awful for causing his best friends tears.

**Harry glared at her, still breathing deeply, then turned away from them again, pacing up and down. Hedwig hooted glumly from the top of the wardrobe. There was a long pause, broken only by the mournful creak of the floorboards below Harry's feet.**

"That really wasn't what I had in mind when I said you shouldn't keep your thoughts to yourself Harry," Sirius said eyeing the trio before him. They seemed pretty unaffected by the whole thing, and Sirius was glad there didn't seem to be any lingering resentment.

"I know and I'm sorry for-"Harry was sure he had heard disappointment in Sirius's voice and it only made him feel worse. Remus glared at the back of his friends head.

"Mate, we told you already! We don't blame you for being angry," Ron sighed exasperatedly, glaring at Sirius. They didn't need anyone making Harry feel even more guilty, it was bad without outside help. Harry always took everything on himself.

Harry just slumped down in his seat.

"**What is this place, anyway?" he shot at Ron and Hermione.**

"**Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," said Ron at once.**

"**Is anyone going to bother telling me what the Order of the Phoenix -?"**

"**It's a secret society," said Hermione quickly.**

Ginny snorted, but kept it quiet for the sake of the girl sitting besides her brother. They really had been quite shaken by Harry hadn't they? Well, she was pretty happy herself for having the sense to wait at the stairs first.

"**Dumbledore's in charge, he founded it. It's the people who fought against You-Know-Who last time."**

"**Who's in it?" said Harry, coming to a halt with his hands in his pockets.**

"**Quite a few people -"**

"**We've met about twenty of them," said Ron, "but we think there are more."**

**Harry glared at them.**

"Harry…" Sirius chided gently. He could of course see that his godson was feeling very bad about all this, but he also needed to learn how to reign in his temper. Remus quite agreed but he also thought now wasn't really the time, so he jabbed his friend in the side shaking his head.

"**Well?" he demanded, looking from one to the other.**

"**Er," said Ron. "Well what?"**

"**Voldemort!" said Harry furiously, and both Ron and Hermione winced.**

Harry just sighed to himself. He would never get it.

"**What's happening? What's he up to? Where is he? What are we doing to stop him?"**

Moody shook his head to himself. He was one of the few who thought that they should share their meetings with the younger generation. Knowledge was crucial in a war, and like it or not these teenagers held a significant role in it, they were practically sending these young ones into battle without teaching them how to save themselves. That impostor of his had at least one thing right. If the children didn't know what was coming for them, how were they supposed to fight it?

"**We've told you, the Order don't let us in on their meetings," said Hermione nervously. "So we don't know the details - but we've got a general idea," she added hastily, seeing the look on Harry's face.**

Arthur chuckled to himself quietly. He had never thought that the kids had no idea what happened in the order. He suspected they knew a whole lot if he was honest, also his wife just didn't need to hear his suspicions. She believed what she wanted to believe.

"**Fred and George have invented Extendable Ears, see," said Ron. "They're really useful."**

Molly turned to her sons, glaring at them threateningly. Arthur could only do that much to restrain his wife.

"I thought I destroyed them, _every last one of them,_" Fred and George winced, trying very hard not to look too guilty or cover their pockets. Their mother was an expert at reading body language and would destroy the pair they always had on them, something they were kind of regretting now.

Sirius was looking interested, glancing at Harry and the rest of the teens. The things sounded bloody useful, and the twins had invented them? He cast an appraising look at the twins, and could feel his face slipping into a smile. Remus chuckled, bringing Mrs. Weasley's attention to him.

"Remus? Did you know about this?" Sirius watched as Moony's eyes widened, and felt his chin drop.

"Moony! You knew? And didn't tell me…" Sirius trailed off when Remus started shaking his head at him, and Molly turned to him. He gulped. Harry snorted besides him.

"Sirius-" Mrs. Weasley started with narrowed eyes, and as usual it was left for Remus to save his friend.

"Molly, I can guarantee that neither one of us had any idea such things even existed. Sirius just doesn't know when to rein in his excitement from the good old days," this was said with such a Remus-y tone of voice that it nearly dripped with conviction. Mrs. Weasley studied Sirius for a while longer before smiling apologetically at Remus and then turning back to the book. Sirius let out a sigh of relief and elbowed Harry in the side. Harry stopped laughing to scowl at Sirius playfully.

"Shut up," Sirius muttered grinning.

Moody eyed the red-headed menaces. He then turned to Albus to make some kind of point, but the man had that ever loving twinkle in his eyes. Moody turned back to the books again, it wasn't worth the effort to try and get a straight answer out of the man when he looked like that.

Tonks on the other hand was grinning like mad at everything that had been going on. She had at least known about all this, and had thought the twins invention had been rather brilliant.

"**Extendable -?"**

"**Ears, yeah. Only we've had to stop using them lately because Mum found out and went berserk. Fred and George had to hide them all to stop Mum binning them.**

Molly glared at all her children before turning back to the book, which was a good thing because then she missed the small package passed behind backs when no one was looking. Fred and George had thought it most prudent to remove the cords from anywhere close to them, so they had handed it carefully to Hermione silently eyeing Harry, who was the best chance to their mother never finding them. Hermione had rolled her eyes but had carefully handed the package to Ron, taking his hand again and slipping the package to him. Ron raised an eyebrow, and she silently mouthed 'Harry' and he understood. Ron made sure no one was looking, and slipped the small bundle to Harry's waiting hand.

Sirius had nearly missed it too, but then Fred winked at Harry and his godson smirked. He raised an eyebrow at the twins who smiled innocently. Sirius cast a look at Molly before tapping Harry on the back of the head. When Harry turned to look at him he motioned to his ears and tapped palm.

Harry looked at him suspiciously for a moment before turning back to the book. Sirius frowned but then he felt something slip into his pocket.

**But we got a good bit of use out of them before Mum realized what was going on. We know some of the Order are following known Death Eaters, keeping tabs on them, you know -"**

"**Some of them are working on recruiting more people to the Order -" said Hermione.**

"**And some of them are standing guard over something," said Ron. "They're always talking about guard duty."**

Remus raised an impressed eyebrow, before quickly controlling his face. Tonks chuckled at his side, and he turned to look at her. She was smirking. Realization hit.

"You knew!" He whispered accusingly, but at the same time he couldn't help but smile too when she nodded happily.

"**Couldn't have been me, could it?" said Harry sarcastically.**

Now Harry couldn't help but think that this wasn't the case, but he didn't feel like this was the time to express his suspicions, he would have to wait until lunch to talk to Ron and Hermione.

"**Oh, yeah," said Ron, with a look of dawning comprehension.**

Ginny and the twins snorted and Ron turned a bit pink, but no one said a thing. They really didn't want to draw their mother's attention to them anymore than necessary.

**Harry snorted. He walked around the room again, looking anywhere but at Ron and Hermione.**

"**So, what have you two been doing, if you're not allowed in meetings?" he demanded. "You said you'd been busy"'**

"**We have," said Hermione quickly. "We've been decontaminating this house, it's been empty for ages and stuff's been breeding in here. We've managed to clean out the kitchen, most of the bedrooms and I think we're doing the drawing room tomo-"**

**With two loud cracks, Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers, had materialized out of thin air in the middle of the room. Pigwidgeon twittered more wildly than ever and zoomed off to join Hedwig on top of the wardrobe.**

"What an entrance!" George laughed happily, forgetting for a moment the plan to stay quiet. Harry rolled his eyes but he was also smiling.

"He didn't even describe us," Fred pouted mockingly.

"**Stop doing that!" Hermione said weakly to the twins, who were as vividly red-haired as Ron, though stockier and slightly shorter.**

The twins eyed Harry who was laughing now.

"That is totally inaccurate! You left out the part of more handsome-"

"-smarter, funnier and all around better Weasley brothers," George cried indignantly. Ginny snorted whilst Ron turned to glare at them and was about to say something but was shushed by Mr. Weasley.

"That's enough boys," they quieted down immediately.

"**Hello, Harry," said George, beaming at him. "We thought we heard your dulcet tones."**

Sirius snorted, and then had to duck the elbow Harry aimed his way.

"**You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out," said Fred, also beaming.**

"Once again mate, how do you know the difference between us?" Fred demanded. This was not good for their pranking chance on Harry. If he saw through them at that who knew what else he was able to see.

"I don't know really. It's just that you have something really Fred about you and same for George." Harry shrugged. He really wasn't sure how he managed to tell the twins apart, but he was glad as long as it annoyed them.

"Harry…" they groaned before settling on glaring at anyone who dared to laugh. This was no joking matter, couldn't they see the seriousness of this situation.

"**There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you."**

"**You two passed your Apparation tests, then?" asked Harry grumpily.**

The twins puffed out their chests slightly, before a loud 'CRACK' was heard and their seats were empty.

"What- where did they go?" Molly cried, looking around the room. Harry shared a look with Ginny who nodded.

'CRACK' George and Fred were back in their seats.

"Oh good, you waited for us." Fred smiled at his mother, who was looking rather suspicious.

"What did you do now? I swear to-"

"No need to swear mom, we didn't do a thing!" George smiled a winning smile before gesturing to the book Mrs. Weasley had dropped in shock.

Truth was they had been up to their rooms and hidden anything their mother could think to confiscate.

"**With distinction," said Fred, who was holding what looked like a piece of very long, flesh coloured string.**

"**It would have taken you about thirty seconds longer to walk down the stairs," said Ron.**

"Your brother is right boys; there is no need to flaunt your abilities for the others. There is also a responsibility in being allowed to do magic." Arthur said mildly, but his gaze told them to behave themselves. Their father could be scary if he wanted.

"**Time is Galleons, little brother," said Fred.**

"**Anyway, Harry, you're interfering with reception. Extendable Ears," he added in response to Harry's raised eyebrows, and held up the string which Harry now saw was trailing out on to the landing. "We're trying to hear what's going on downstairs."**

"Boys! Give me those now!" Molly shrieked, aiming her wand at the twins.

"Accio!" but nothing happened. Harry chanced a glance at Sirius who was resolutely not looking anywhere near Molly or Remus, but he winked at Harry. Fred and George let out a huge breath of relief when their mother huffed crossly and glared but still sat back down into her chair and reached for the book. One disaster avoided, they were running rather low in the Extendable Ear department at the moment, their mother had found too many of them and destroyed them.

"**You want to be careful," said Ron, staring at the Ear, "if Mum sees one of them again…"**

"**It's worth the risk, that's a major meeting they're having," said Fred.**

"And how would you know that?" Tonks asked curiously, but still pretty firm, even if only for show.

"There were lots of people," Hermione explained quietly. She really didn't want to get on the bad side of any one the adults, because really none of them looked that happy at the fact that they knew so much.

The adults frowned. They had been pretty obvious apparently. Moody was rather disgruntled, really where was the secrecy in this house!

**The door opened and a long mane of red hair appeared.**

"**Oh, hello, Harry!" said Ron's younger sister, Ginny, brightly.**

"Younger sister, thanks Harry" Harry laughed, but smiled apologetically to Ginny. It was nice that she was finally able to be in the same room with his and actually talk to him too. She was nice and funny, and he liked the fact that she didn't turn red every time she saw him anymore. It had been awkward.

"No problem." Ginny narrowed her eyes, but she was smiling so it didn't really matter. Hermione was also smiling.

"**I thought I heard your voice."**

"Who didn't?" Ron snorted, ignoring the huff from Harry.

"We apparently," Remus noted lightly, making Ron flush slightly and smile sheepishly.

"Yeah… how come?" Harry frowned, he hadn't really thought about it at the time but it did sound kind of weird that they hadn't heard a thing.

"Dung was there at the time," Sirius explained sheepishly. He had still been rather angry, and had done some of his own shouting.

Harry watched Sirius closely a minute before smiling slightly.

**Turning to Fred and George, she said, "It's no-go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."**

Mrs. Weasley gasped and Ginny covered.

"Ginevra Weasley! How on earth would you know that?" Ginny blushed, and averted her eyes mumbling something. The twins snickered but then also caught their mother's eyes and looked down, properly chastised.

Tonks also averted her eyes, praying to herself that it wouldn't say anything.

"**How d'you know?" said George, looking crestfallen.**

"**Tonks **

Merlin!

Tonks blushed and met the eyes of the people in the room, her hair greying before their eyes to a more unnoticeable brown.

"Tonks!" Molly cried, shocked. Remus was chuckling besides her, and Sirius had high-fived her behind his back.

Moody was glaring and she tried to look repentant, but she guessed she failed by the look on his face.

They were all shocked when Dumbledore started chuckling slightly, and Tonks met his eyes for a moment.

"Sorry." her old headmaster nodded and a stern look from her mentor before he rolled his eyes at her.

**told me how to find out," said Ginny. "You just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap."**

Arthur stopped his wife from shouting, and was awarded a glare.

**Fred heaved a deep sigh.**

"**Shame. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to."**

"**Snape!" said Harry quickly. "Is he here?"**

"**Yeah," said George, carefully closing the door and sitting down on one of the beds; Fred and Ginny followed. "Giving a report. Top secret."**

"**Git," said Fred idly.**

"Fred! Watch that mouth, he is your professor!" Molly cried shrilly. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"**He's on our side now," said Hermione reprovingly.**

**Ron snorted. "Doesn't stop him being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us."**

"Ron! Where is your respect for adults! I never want to hear something like that from your mouth again!" Ron covered back in his seat, muttering to himself. Moody was inclined to think the same as those kids, he still didn't trust that man, once a death eater… well, he was yet to prove anything.

"**Bill doesn't like him, either," said Ginny, as though that settled the matter.**

All the Weasley kids nodded their heads and their parents chuckled even though Molly was still scowling.

**Harry was not sure his anger had abated yet; but his thirst for information was now overcoming his urge to keep shouting. He sank on to the bed opposite the others.**

"**Is Bill here?" he asked. "I thought he was working in Egypt?"**

Molly couldn't help but smile when her oldest son was mentioned. It was so good having him home again, she had seen so little of her baby boy when he was working so far away. Even though that meant the audition of that French girl, but she could take the good with the… slightly less good.

But her mind weighed her down, she seemed to have gained back one son and lost another. Oh Percy…

Arthur gazed at his wife in concern when her voice waivered a little, but she seemed to be able to continue.

"**He applied for a desk job so he could come home and work for the Order," said Fred. "He says he misses the tombs, but;" he smirked, "there are compensations."**

Fred and George snickered whilst Ginny scowled. It wasn't that she hated Fleur really! She didn't even know her, but it was her fault that Ginny couldn't spend that much time with Bill anymore. It was always Fleur that, Fleur this… never Ginny. She missed her brother.

"**What d'you mean?"**

"**Remember old Fleur Delacour?" said George. "She's got a job at Gringotts to eempwve 'er Eeenglish -"**

"**And Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons," sniggered Fred.**

"Boys…" Arthur warned, but couldn't help but chuckle slightly. He could see that his son was completely enamoured with that girl, and he was happy for him. Molly hadn't warmed up to the idea yet, but Arthur was sure those two would get married some day, and he at least would support their son a hundred percent.

"**Charlie's in the Order, too," said George, "but he's still in Romania. Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contacts on his days off."**

"**Couldn't Percy do that?"**

The mood in the room plummeted once again, and Mrs. Weasley wavered.

"Dear, I can-" Arthur began but he didn't get to finish.

"No, I can do it." her voice was firm, even though her eyes shone with tears.

**Harry asked. The last he had heard, the third Weasley brother was working in the Department of International Magical Co-operation at the Ministry of Magic.**

**At Harry's words, all the Weasleys and Hermione exchanged darkly significant looks.**

"**Whatever you do, don't mention Percy in front of Mum and Dad," Ron told Harry in a tense voice.**

"**Why not?"**

"**Because every time Percy's name's mentioned, Dad breaks whatever he's holding and Mum starts crying," Fred said.**

"**It's been awful," said Ginny sadly.**

Arthur winced. He hadn't fully realized how Percy leaving had affected his other children; he had been so caught up in his own anger and disappointment.

"**I think we're well shut of him," said George, with an uncharacteristically ugly look on his face.**

"George…" Mrs. Weasley whispered sadly, but none of her kid's met her eyes.

The rest of the room shuffled uncomfortably.

"**What's happened?" Harry said.**

"**Percy and Dad had a row," said Fred. "I've never seen Dad row with anyone like that. It's normally Mum who shouts."**

"**It was the first week back after term ended," said Ron. "We were about to come and join the Order. Percy came home and told us he'd been promoted."**

"**You're kidding?" said Harry.**

**Though he knew perfectly well that Percy was highly ambitious, Harry's impression was that Percy had not made a great success of his first job at the Ministry of Magic. Percy had committed the fairly large oversight of failing to notice that his boss was being controlled by Lord Voldemort (not that the Ministry had believed it - they all thought Mr. Crouch had gone mad).**

Harry winced as Mrs. Weasley sniffed a bit before shakily continuing reading.

"**Yeah, we were all surprised," said George, "because Percy got into a load of trouble about Crouch, there was an inquiry and everything. They said Percy ought to have realized Crouch was off his rocker and informed a superior. But you know Percy, Crouch left him in charge, he wasn't going to complain."**

"**So how come they promoted him?"**

Why can't I just shut up? Harry thought as Mrs. Weasley was just getting more upset by the minute.

"**That's exactly what we wondered," said Ron, who seemed very keen to keep normal conversation going now that Harry had stopped yelling. **

Ginny and Hermione snorted, and Ron turned slightly red again.

"Oh point that out, will you mate," he groaned and Harry grinned even though it all felt a bit forced at the moment.

**"He came home really pleased with himself - even more pleased than usual, if you can imagine that – **

"Ron," Arthur said softly. Ron scowled but didn't say anything.

**and told Dad he'd been offered a position in Fudge's own office. A really good one for someone only a year out of Hogwarts: Junior Assistant to the Minister. He expected Dad to be all impressed, I think."**

Arthur sighed. He would have been so proud of his son and his success, if it wasn't for the fact that Fudge was using him. He hadn't liked saying it to Percy and he had dreaded the reaction but he would never have thought that Percy would answer in such a way.

"**Only Dad wasn't," said Fred grimly.**

"**Why not?" said Harry.**

"**Well, apparently Fudge has been storming round the Ministry checking that nobody's having any contact with Dumbledore," said George.**

"**Dumbledore's name is mud with the Ministry these days, see," said Fred. "They all think he's just making trouble saying You-Know-Who's back."**

The man in question sighed heavily, shaking his head. All this contradictory in the Ministry was making it easier for Voldemort and thus harder for the order. This war was practically over if they wouldn't get Fudge to see reason anytime soon.

"**Dad says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in league with Dumbledore can clear out their desks," said George.**

"**Trouble is, Fudge suspects Dad, he knows he's friendly with Dumbledore, and he's always thought Dad's a bit of a weirdo because of his Muggle obsession."**

The Weasley kids winced. They had all thought that same thought at some point in their lives, but now they felt bad because they were thinking the same as that bastard!

"Sorry dad," George said quietly. Arthur didn't mind, he knew his obsession with muggles wasn't easy to understand, but he would rather be a weirdo and live happily with his family than be some _git _like Malfoy!

"**But what's that got to do with Percy?" asked Harry, confused.**

"**I'm coming to that. Dad reckons Fudge only wants Percy in his office because he wants to use him to spy on the family - and Dumbledore."**

**Harry let out a low whistle.**

"**Bet Percy loved that."**

**Ron laughed in a hollow sort of way.**

"**He went completely berserk. He said - well, he said loads of terrible stuff. He said he's been having to struggle against Dad's lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry** **and that Dad's got no ambition and that's why we've always been - you know - not had a lot of money, I mean -"**

"**What?" said Harry in disbelief, as Ginny made a noise like an angry cat.**

Everyone in the room scowled. Arthur was one of the kindest persons you could find, and he didn't have a lousy reputation. He was well liked at the Ministry, and it was only those near Fudge that wanted him kicked out. Percy was just too blinded by power to see that, and Ginny could feel that familiar twinge of hatred mingled with sadness when Percy was mentioned.

Harry patted his friends shoulder, and grinned when Ron looked up. The smile he got in return was weak but he wasn't too picky.

Sirius and Remus shared an uncomfortable look before glancing back at nothing. Moody was also feeling rather out of it, he had never quite known the ambitious Percy Weasley but he bet he wouldn't have liked someone who had abandon his own family so readily.

"**I know," said Ron in a low voice. "And it got worse. He said Dad was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble**

"Albus, he doesn't really mean-" Mrs. Weasley began tearfully, but Dumbledore waved her away kindly.

"I understand completely Molly, no need to apologize."

**and Dad was going to go down with him, and that he - Percy - knew where his loyalty lay and it was with the Ministry. And if Mum and Dad were going to become traitors to the Ministry he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to our family any more. And he packed his bags the same night and left. He's living here in London now."**

**Harry swore under his breath. He had always liked Percy least of Ron's brothers, but he had never imagined he would say such things to Mr. Weasley.**

"Thank you Harry," Arthur smiled slightly at the very awkward looking teen. The whole room was incredibly tense as no one really knew what to say.

"**Mum's been in a right state," said Ron dully. "You know - crying and stuff. She came up to London to try and talk to Percy but he slammed the door in her face. I dunno what he does if he meets Dad at work - ignores him, I s'pose."**

Arthur sighed sadly. It was very difficult to see his son at work almost every day but never be able to talk with him. He loved talking with Percy about work and politics and now he had to settle on knowing that his son was at least fine. He had to determine everything from how he looked, and the best he could report back home was that he was at least still alive.

"**But Percy must know Voldemort's back," said Harry slowly. "He's not stupid, he must know your mum and dad wouldn't risk everything without proof."**

"**Yeah, well, your name got dragged into the row," said Ron, shooting Harry a furtive look.**

"**Percy said the only evidence was your word and… I dunno… he didn't think it was good enough."**

"**Percy takes the Daily Prophet seriously," said Hermione tartly, and the others all nodded.**

Harry glared at the floor clenching his fist, and then quickly unclenching them because his hand hurt. He hated the Prophet, and every lie they had ever written about him. It was because of them that people walked around him in corridors and because of them no one knew that Voldemort was back and thought that he and Dumbledore were touched in the head.

"Don't let them get to you Harry," Sirius said quietly when he noticed his godson's tense figure, you could practically feel the anger radiate off him. Sirius placed a calming hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly, ignoring the slight flinch.

"**What are you talking about?" Harry asked, looking around at them all. They were all regarding him warily.**

"**Haven't - haven't you been getting the Daily Prophet!" Hermione asked nervously.**

Hermione chuckled slightly. She really hadn't liked telling Harry that, and especially just after he had been yelling at them. The things written were awful and it was even worse that people believed it, even people who knew Harry! And those vile things that the Prophet came up with couldn't be further from the truth if you knew Harry. But she guessed not many people did, they only thought they did but they only knew the image everyone had created for Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived, the image Harry had taken to hide behind in public.

"**Yeah, I have!" said Harry.**

"**Have you - er - been reading it thoroughly?" Hermione asked, still more anxiously.**

"**Not cover to cover," said Harry defensively. **"**If they were going to report anything about Voldemort it would be headline news, wouldn't it?"**

"Thank Merlin you hadn't read it cover to cover! We would have been so screwed then," Ron sighed in relief and grinned at Harry. Harry smiled sheepishly back before glancing at the twins who had been quiet for some time now.

They didn't look any different but there was still something odd going on.

Sirius remembered the things the Prophet had spewed out about his pup, and he growled low in his throat. Those people were foul, placing all that blame on a fifteen year old boy! The wizarding world had no moral or backbone at all. They depended so much on one single person but they still had no problem knocking him down and treating him like filth.

**The others flinched at the sound of the name. Hermione hurried on, "Well, you'd need to read it cover to cover to pick it up, but they - um - they mention you a couple of times a week."**

"**But I'd have seen -"**

"**Not if you've only been reading the front page, you wouldn't," said Hermione, shaking her head. "I'm not talking about big articles. They just slip you in, like you're a standing joke."**

"**What d'you -?"**

"**It's quite nasty, actually," said Hermione in a voice of forced calm. "They're just building on Rita's stuff."**

"**But she's not writing for them any more, is she?"**

"**Oh, no, she's kept her promise - not that she's got any choice," Hermione added with satisfaction.**

"What do you mean with that?" Sirius asked eyeing the young witch curiously. That almost sounded like some blackmailing. Hermione blushed under the sudden intense scrutiny and started fiddling with the hem of her blouse. Harry and Ron exchanged proud and maybe a bit smug grins that seemed to catch the attention of the twins.

"You've got dirt on her, haven't you?" Fred asked gleefully, ignoring the disproving glare their mother sent his way.

"And it's something good, isn't it?" George piped in looking very much the cat that ate the canary.

Remus was shaking his head, but it was mainly to keep the sadistic grin of his face. Thos articles had made his blood boil, and more often than not he shredded the paper into pieces after reading them.

"So, what is it?" Ginny asked after a moment of silence. Hermione blushed even more and shook her head. Ron answered.

"It's a secret, that's what it is," Sirius scowled at his grinning godson and narrowed his eyes.

"Oh come one, tell us!" Fred cried indignantly.

"Quiet all of you, I'm going to continue reading now," Mrs. Weasley said ignoring the identical pouts coming from the couch.

"**But she laid the foundation for what they're trying to do now."**

"**Which is what?" said Harry impatiently.**

"I really just wanted you to blurt it out," Harry said grinning. The articles made him see red of course, but he really should be used to it by now, shouldn't he? He was always the one being ridiculed so no big deal, only normally there wasn't quite that many people who believed it.

"I didn't want to say it, it's all so terrible," Hermione grumbled bitterly, and Harry felt the warm feeling spread in his chest. Yes, it really was good to know they cared.

"**Okay, you know she wrote that you were collapsing all over the place and saying your scar was hurting and all that?"**

"Really taking the long route aren't you?" Tonks chuckled. She could also remember these articles and had thought they were rubbish from the start. Rita Skeeter was a foul woman if she'd ever seen one!

"**Yeah," said Harry, who was not likely to forget Rita Skeeter's stories about him in a hurry.**

"**Well, they're writing about you as though you're this deluded, attention-seeking person who thinks he's a great tragic hero or something," said Hermione, very fast, as though it would be less unpleasant for Harry to hear these facts quickly.**

"Well they are right on every account, aren't they?" Fred snickered.

"I mean really, who wrote that article? Snape!" George joined in. The room snorted, it did kind of sound like something Snape would say about Harry.

"**They keep slipping in snide comments about you. If some far-fetched story appears, they say something like, 'tale worthy of Harry Potter', and if anyone has a funny accident or anything it's, 'lets hope he hasn't got a scar on his forehead or we'll be asked to worship him next -"**

Harry glared at the carpet under his feet. Half his problems wouldn't be so bad if everyone didn't think they were entitled to know everything and then only believed gossip. He hated people sometimes.

"**I don't want anyone to worship -" Harry began hotly.**

"We know that mate, who would want that," said Ron, almost guiltily. He had once thought that and he would be forever grateful that Harry had forgiven him.

"I don't know, some prat like Malfoy?" Harry grinned and laughed as Ron also snorted.

"**I know you don't," said Hermione quickly, looking frightened. "I know, Harry. But you see what they're doing? They want to turn you into someone nobody will believe. Fudge is behind it, I'll bet anything. They want wizards on the street to think you're just some stupid boy who's a bit of a joke, who tells ridiculous tall stories because he loves being famous and wants to keep it going."**

All the adults shared dark looks. Fudge was loosing the war for them, and he didn't even realize it. All the people in the room that worked for the Ministry would have quit long ago but as that wasn't an option as long as the Order needed spies, they would just have to bite their tongue and keep their heads down. Tonks had even taken to having her hair a brown colour, just to make her more hard to notice in the sea of faces. It had worked pretty good so far.

"**I didn't ask - I didn't want - Voldemort killed my parents!" Harry spluttered. "I got famous because he murdered my family but couldn't kill me! Who wants to be famous for that? Don't they think I'd rather it'd never -" **

Everyone looked at Harry sadly. Of course if you looked at it that way, it was all terrible. The wizarding world was so wrong about everything.

Sirius squeezed Harry's shoulder, bringing him slightly closer. And this time it didn't take just so long before Harry's shoulders relaxed and he leaned into his godfather's side. He was slowly getting used to this.

"**We know, Harry," said Ginny earnestly.**

Ginny nodded to herself, smiling a bit at Harry. All those people were foul and if they didn't want to believe Harry, it was their own fault for being too coward!

"**And of course, they didn't report a word about the Dementors attacking you," said Hermione.**

"**Someone's told them to keep that quiet. That should've been a really big story, out-of-control Dementors. They haven't even reported that you broke the International Statute of Secrecy. We thought they would, it would tie in so well with this image of you as some stupid show-off. We think they're biding their time until you're expelled, then they're really going to go to town - I mean, if you're expelled, obviously," she went on hastily. "You really shouldn't be, not if they abide by their own laws, there's no case against you."**

Hermione huffed. There really had been no case against him, and it wouldn't have been a pretty sight if they would have expelled him. Really, expel Harry Potter from Hogwarts? Harry was the epitome of Hogwarts… it was his only home. Merlin, now she was almost crying again. She hated the Ministry, and that hag Umbridge!

**They were back on the hearing and Harry did not want to think about that. He cast around for another change of subject, but was saved the necessity of finding one by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Fred gave the Extendable Ear a hearty tug; there was another loud crack and he and George vanished.**

Molly glared at the twins, shooting them very angry looks that clearly meant she would find them sooner or later. They could now only hope that Harry would keep them safe.

**Seconds later, Mrs. Weasley appeared in the bedroom doorway.**

"**The meeting's over, you can come down and have dinner now. Everyone's dying to see you, Harry. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"**

It was Ginny's turn to get the stern eye, and she covered slightly behind her older brothers, who had been covering behind her just seconds ago. Well family looks out for each other.

"**Crookshanks," said Ginny unblushingly. "He loves playing with them."**

"Ginny! You lied- Oh you should be ashamed of yourselves!" The twins jumped when the glare was once again directed at them.

"What did we do now?" Fred exclaimed.

"Your little sister has picked up this kind of behaviour from you-" the twins reared back.

"Yeah, because no one in the world expect us lies! C'mon mum, that's unfair!" Arthur jumped in, because the twins weren't looking too happy at the moment, and his wife was too tense to think clearly before she started in on them.

"Ginny, don't lie to your mother anymore. George and Fred, please calm down. Molly, darling, please keep reading?" His wife huffed at him but turned back to the book.

"**Oh," said Mrs. Weasley, "I thought it might have been Kreacher, he keeps doing odd things like that.**

Sirius snorted to himself. He would have to remember that excuse now, he hadn't thought about it before. That red-headed family was just full of surprises wasn't it.

**Now don't forget to keep your voices down in the hall. Ginny, your hands are filthy, what have you been doing? Go and wash them before dinner, please."**

"All the clues were there," Tonks laughed and shared a secret smile with the younger girl.

**Ginny grimaced at the others and followed her mother out of the room, leaving Harry alone with Ron and Hermione. Both of them were watching him apprehensively, as though they feared he would start shouting again now that everyone else had gone. The sight of them looking so nervous made him feel slightly ashamed.**

Ron and Hermione looked over at Harry when they couldn't hear him trying to apologize once again. Their friend wasn't meeting their eyes and hanging his head. They knew Harry felt bad about it; they just didn't want him to.

"It's alright Harry-"

"No it isn't! I shouldn't have done it, and now I'm doing it again, and I'm sorry." Harry rubbed the spot above his right eyebrow that always ached when he was too stressed. Sirius was gently rubbing his neck with his one hand, and Harry relaxed under the soothing motion.

"We know mate, no worries," Ron smiled a bit and exchanged a look with Hermione.

"**Look…" he muttered, but Ron shook his head, and Hermione said quietly, "We knew you'd be angry, Harry, we really don't blame you, but you've got to understand, we did try to persuade Dumbledore -"**

"**Yeah, I know," said Harry shortly.**

**He cast around for a topic that didn't involve his headmaster, because the very thought of Dumbledore made Harry's insides burn with anger again.**

Harry glanced up uncomfortably at his headmaster, and almost tumbled out of his chair when he met his eyes. For a second ice blue met emerald green and then it was gone. There was deep sorrow in those eyes, but Harry didn't understand.

"**Who's Kreacher?" he asked.**

"Only the most pathetic creature to ever walk this earth-" Sirius muttered to himself, forgetting for a moment how close Harry was to him.

"Sirius," Remus nudged his friend who was getting riled up at the elf that wasn't even here.

"Yeah, yeah."

"**The house-elf who lives here," said Ron. "Nutter. Never met one like him."**

**Hermione frowned at Ron.**

"**He's not a nutter, Ron."**

"**His life's ambition is to have his head cut off and stuck up on a plaque just like his mother," said Ron irritably. "Is that normal, Hermione?"**

"Ron-" Hermione started but then just sighed. There really wasn't anything to say to that. But Dobby wasn't normal either.

"**Well - well, if he is a bit strange, it's not his fault."**

**Ron rolled his eyes at Harry.**

Just like now, and that earned him a smack on the arm. Harry snickered and Hermione glared.

"**Hermione still hasn't given up on SPEW -"**

Hermione turned a bit more red, and Ron slowly inched away.

"**It's not SPEW!" said Hermione heatedly. "It's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. And it's not just me, Dumbledore says we should be kind to Kreacher too."**

"**Yeah, yeah," said Ron. "C'mon, I'm starving."**

The twins would dearly have wanted to say something, but one look at the bushy haired girl told them everything they needed to know. Really, between being alive and being murdered by Hermione they would choose being alive.

**He led the way out of the door and on to the landing, but before they could descend the stairs -**

"**Hold it!" Ron breathed, flinging out an arm to stop Harry and Hermione walking any further.**

"**They're still in the hall, we might be able to hear something."**

Moody grumbled to himself. Really some of the members had no idea about secrecy, and he wouldn't be surprised if they were discussing things in the hallway. He at least had some more sense than that.

**The three of them looked cautiously over the banisters. The gloomy hallway below was packed with witches and wizards, including all of Harry's guard. They were whispering excitedly together. In the very centre of the group Harry saw the dark, greasy-haired head and prominent nose of his least favourite teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Snape.**

"That greasy prick better-" Sirius grumbled but didn't finish. If he wanted to make peace with Snape, he would need to watch himself. He was over and done with the past and now he would only have to face the git and apologize before he could maybe forget about it. For Harry's sake.

Harry and Remus were looking at him a little oddly, but he didn't comment on it. Molly continued reading; a bit shocked she hadn't needed to scold Sirius.

**Harry leaned further over the banisters. He was very interested in what Snape was doing for the Order of the Phoenix…**

Hermione snorted fondly and Sirius shook his head exasperatedly. There was just no keeping Harry out of the loop. He would always find out in the end, and most of the time the hard way.

**A thin piece of flesh-coloured string descended in front of Harry's eyes.**

The Order members tensed. That had not been a pretty conversation, and they feared how much these kids had heard. Snape had not been bearing good news at all.

Sirius felt very conflicted. He didn't want to keep important stuff from Harry, but at the same time he felt that was one of the only ways he could protect his godson.

**Looking up, he saw Fred and George on the landing above,**

"I will find those and destroy them! You are not permitted to the Order meetings, and everything said is confidential. You are too young-" Molly was practically seeing red, but the twins were not too upset. They had been in the hallway, it was their own fault.

Arthur was feeling that this argument was stretching a bit too long. If his sons wanted to open a joke shop, who was he to object. They had worked hard and he knew that, and there was no one better in the world to do it than his boys. His wife needed to see how much she was hurting their sons by disagreeing with their dreams.

"Molly, would you please keep reading, please darling? We can talk about it later," he pleaded silently with his wife and was awarded a glower, but he felt it was for the best.

**cautiously lowering the Extendable Ear towards the dark knot of people below. A moment later, however, they all began to move towards the front door and out of sight.**

Remus slumped down in his seat and could feel the grip of Tonks' hand on his loosen. They had been very careless with all this evidently and they would have to sharpen up considerably if they wanted to keep anything secret. He felt Harry was doing better with his little group than they were with the Order. Something would have to change.

Moody was whispering with Dumbledore furiously gesturing around himself, his magic eye swirling about madly. He was not happy. If it was that easy to listen in on their meetings how did Voldemort not have them all cornered yet. Granted that these teenagers were in the same house at the time, but if they kept this up they would all be dead.

"**Damnit," Harry heard Fred whisper, as he hoisted t he Extendable Ear back up again.**

**They heard the front door open, then close.**

"**Snape never eats here," Ron told Harry quietly. "Thank God. C'mon."**

All the younger people in the room exchanged very relieved glances, and then snorted. There was no love lost between their dark potions professor and his students. Sirius did try to control himself, but really, asking him to not be glad he didn't need to stand the git any longer than necessary was too much.

"**And don't forget to keep your voice down in the hall, Harry," Hermione whispered.**

"Or anywhere else for that matter Harry-"

"-who knows what's going to wake up next!" The twins laughed, and Harry rolled his eyes. Really there was no need to remind him all the time.

"But really Harry, that is some very important advice. You need to keep your head down," Sirius said gently, and they both understood that he didn't just mean Grimmauld Place. Everyone seemed to be watching anything he did and then turn it into lies and stories into the Prophet.

"Yeah, I know," Harry sighed heavily, and Sirius felt bad about reminding him. It wasn't fair.

**As they passed the row of house-elf heads on the wall, they saw Lupin, Mrs. Weasley and Tonks at the front door, magically sealing its many locks and bolts behind those who had just left.**

"**We're eating down in the kitchen," Mrs. Weasley whispered, meeting them at the bottom of the stairs. "Harry, dear, if you'll just tiptoe across the hall, it's through this door here -"**

**CRASH.**

Tonks reddened equally by the hair and cheeks, and examined her fingernails intently. Remus chuckled softly as the rest of the room groaned. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear.

"Don't worry, I won't let you fall next time." if possible, she seemed to redden even more. But then she composed herself and smiled brightly at Remus.

Sirius was watching this very closely and almost laughed when he saw his friend lean in. Not many people knew but Remus really was the smooth talker in their group. His so called innocence and subtle wording made every girl fall at his feet; he just wasn't as open about it as Sirius and James had been. Really his cousin didn't stand a chance if Moony had decided on her. Oh, maybe Tonks could come and stay too! Or maybe it was too soon, they hadn't been flirting that long yet, because believe me Sirius had been watching them for ages, but maybe… Tonks was living with her mother at the moment, maybe she would want to stay at Grimmauld Place either way… he would have to look into this.

"**Tonks!" cried Mrs. Weasley in exasperation, turning to look behind her.**

Mrs. Weasley smiled apologetically at the young auror, but she waved it away.

"Don't worry, I know I'm a hazard," she assured everyone and Moody rolled his eyes. He didn't want to even count the times he had grabbed the back of her robes preventing her falling down and taking half the office with her.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Maddie," his eyes, both of them, zeroed in on the pink haired menace and glared. Tonks smiled before glancing back at the room, who were quietly in stitches. Moody was never going to get rid of that name now. Fred and George's head were swimming with possibilities, but they were a bit scared of loosing a limb so they would have think this through carefully.

Hermione had clamped a hand over Ron's mouth before he could say a thing, and Sirius was in a very similar predicament with Harry. But soon they were both laughing too hard to stop each other and the room filled with gleeful laughter. And soon Remus joined in and then Arthur and Ginny. Hermione couldn't help but giggle, but she didn't let go of Ron's mouth.

Dumbledore smiled when Alastor growled at all of them. Mentoring young Nymphadora was a very good thing for his old friend, and he knew how fond of her he had grown.

"**I'm sorry!" wailed Tonks, who was lying flat on the floor. "It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over -"**

Hermione was still holding her hand over Ron's mouth, and he couldn't hold his breath anymore to marvel at the feeling. He huffed and Hermione gasped dropping her hand, she had not noticed it still there. They were both red and wouldn't look at each other, but Harry had no problem staring. Really, they should just get it over with.

Well the house needs a serious redecorating if anyone but me is going to live here, Sirius thought seriously. No sharp edges for Nymphie and nothing dangerous for Harry. And really they would need to paint the whole shack white, just to get rid of the gloominess. Sirius couldn't wait.

**But the rest of her words were drowned by a horrible, ear-splitting, blood-curdling screech.**

They had all heard it at some point in time, and winced. They really needed to get it down somehow, thought Harry. He would have to ask Dobby for help.

**The moth-eaten velvet curtains Harry had passed earlier had flown apart, but there was no door behind them. For a split second, Harry thought he was looking through a window, a window behind which an old woman in a black cap was screaming and screaming as though she were being tortured - then he realized it was simply a life-size portrait, but the most realistic, and the most unpleasant, he had ever seen in his life.**

Sirius grumbled and Remus patted his shoulder comfortingly. They all hated that portrait but no one just so fiercely as Sirius. It was a reminder of his past that he really could do without, and living in his parents' house was enough without a crazy bloody painting of his mother dogging him all the time.

**The old woman was drooling, her eyes were rolling, the yellowing skin of her face stretched taut as she screamed; and all along the hall behind them, the other portraits awoke and began to yell, too, so that Harry actually screwed up his eyes at the noise and clapped his hands over his ears.**

**Lupin and Mrs. Weasley darted forward and tried to tug the curtains shut over the old woman, but they would not close and she screeched louder than ever, brandishing clawed hands as though trying to tear at their faces.**

Ginny wrinkled her nose in distaste. She looked horrible and the screeching really got to you. She had always had a urge to take one of those pens her father always talked about and draw a moustache on that painting.

"**Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers -"**

Sirius rolled his eyes. The affect of those insults had waned over the years; she needed to come up with new ones. But he still felt slightly bad for the others, they were insulted time and time again by his mother and he couldn't stop her. And she wasn't even alive!

**Tonks apologized over and over again, dragging the huge, heavy troll's leg back off the floor; Mrs. Weasley abandoned the attempt to close the curtains and hurried up and down the hall, stunning all the other portraits with her wand; and a man with long black hair came charging out of a door facing Harry.**

"Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance Sirius," Tonks laughed and Sirius snorted.

"Years of practice, years of practice," Remus rolled his eyes affectionately. Yeah, it was a miracle he hadn't died of a heart-attack yet by the way Sirius always seemed to pop out of the weirdest places. His enchanted hearing probably saved him, James had never been so lucky, but he had come to expect it.

"**Shut up, you horrible old hag, shut UP!" he roared, seizing the curtain Mrs. Weasley had abandoned.**

"Very good first impression," Harry nudged Sirius in the side, and grinned. He had been so glad to be with Sirius again, and the hearing had suddenly felt much further away. The rest of his summer had been looking up considerably after that, and it had been very hard to leave for Hogwarts when he knew Sirius would be all alone then.

**The old woman's face blanched.**

"**Yoooou!" she howled, her eyes popping at the sight of the man. "Blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!"**

"Was she always like that?" Harry asked carefully, trying not to think of very similar moments with his uncle. Had Sirius also had relatives who hated him, could he maybe after all know how it felt? Well, Harry couldn't imagine Bellatrix being a very pleasant cousin.

Sirius was quiet for a moment, and Harry didn't think he would answer.

"I guess, but I didn't really care when I got older. I had family elsewhere; your father's parents always welcomed me there." Harry nodded silently. He could understand that. Wasn't it exactly how he felt when he got to go to the Burrow, it didn't feel as right as Hogwarts but it was a very close second. Or maybe Grimmauld Place…. No! He would not be living here, he was going back to the Dursley's that's just how it was. It was safe.

All these conflicting emotions playing on Harry's face didn't go unnoticed by Sirius or Hermione, but she was sitting too far away so she could only watch when Sirius placed an comforting hand on her friends shoulder, and how he flinched away at first. It was a small movement, but it was there.

"**I said - shut - UP!" roared the man, and with a stupendous effort he and Lupin managed to force the curtains closed again.**

**The old woman's screeches died and an echoing silence fell.**

Much like the room at the moment. No one really knew what to say, but everyone's thoughts were racing.

**Panting slightly and sweeping his long dark hair out of his eyes, Harry's godfather Sirius turned to face him.**

"**Hello, Harry," he said grimly, "I see you've met my mother."**

"That's it," Mrs. Weasley said quietly, placing the book carefully on the table in front of her.

"I think we should read one more chapters before lunch, is that okay for everyone?" Dumbledore looked around the room, but before anyone could answer the door opened, and guess who stepped through. It was none other than their loved potions professor Snape. The room fell silent, and he glared at them all.

"I _hope _I didn't interrupt anything?" he sneered, and only Dumbledore seemed to look unaffected.

"Of course not dear boy, come here, sit! Nymphadora was just about to start reading," Tonks shrugged and reached for the book, and flipped open to the next chapter.

"**The Order of the Phoenix,**"


	7. The Order of the Phoenix

**A/N. I'm ashamed of myself, I really am. This was supposed to be up months ago, yes MONTHS, but I was having huge trouble with the fight scene between Molly and Sirius, and I was very reluctant to just rush through it and write something half hearted. Because there are so many fics like that, and I made a promise to myself when we started writing this, and that was that this was going to be different! And I hope you think we have succeeded in that, because frankly I'm kind of proud of this one. AND it's again almost 22k words sooo.. it's a fucking monster size wise. **

**Hopefully it won't disappoint…**

_"__**Hello, Harry," he said grimly, "I see you've met my mother."**_

"_That's it," Mrs. Weasley said quietly, placing the book carefully on the table in front of her. _

"_I think we should read one more chapter before lunch, is that okay for everyone?" Dumbledore looked around the room, but before anyone could answer the door opened, and guess who stepped through. It was none other than their loved potions professor Snape. The room fell silent, and he glared at them all. _

"_I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" he sneered, and only Dumbledore seemed to look unaffected. _

"_Of course not dear boy, come here, sit! Nymphadora was just about to start reading," Tonks shrugged and reached for the book, and flipped open to the next chapter. _

"_**The Order of the Phoenix,**__"_

The room was tense as Tonks reached for the book. The sudden appearance of Snape had soured Harry's and Sirius's mood even further. The last chapter had been a relatively good one compared to the others, but Sirius didn't want to kid himself and start thinking that they had gotten over the hardest part, because he knew that was a lie.

Harry on the other hand had hoped that his most hated professor, after Umbridge, wouldn't be present for the rest of the day. Was it really too much to ask for that he wouldn't have to put up with the git on his holiday? Especially reading about his life! He felt the frustration well up in him again just thinking of all the snide remarks he would get to hear about his thoughts, his _private_ thoughts _months ago_.

The room was silent when Tonks started reading, and Moody was keeping an eye on everything going on. He didn't trust that man any more than he trusted a brick wall, because even walls have ears. Once a death eater, always a death eater. Or that was what Moody thought.

Hermione was looking very thoughtful, glancing at Harry and then back down at her wand frowning.

"**The Order of the Phoenix,**"

"**Your -?"**

"**My dear old mum, yeah," **

Sirius snorted. He hated his mother as much as he hated this house. It was all because of her that he had in the end given up and ran away. Leaving his brother behind and Sirius had always known that was a big part of the bitterness between him and his brother. He had never been able to fix that again, and look what happened. His baby brother was dead. Sirius hated his mother.

Harry nudged Sirius in the side, breaking the older man out of his thoughts.

"Are you alright?" Harry felt stupid asking that, but it was the best he could come up with. He could clearly see that Sirius was in fact not alright, and he felt like he had asked that same thing over and over again these last two days. It was getting repetitive.

"Yeah, don't worry about me pup. I'm fine," Sirius ruffled Harry's hair, but avoided Remus' dubious eyes. Moony always had a way of knowing things he wasn't supposed to know and after that episode in the kitchen earlier he was bound to be on high alert.

**said Sirius. "We've been trying to get her down for a month but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Let's get downstairs, quick, before they all wake up again."**

Harry exchanged a glance with Hermione, and she shrugged. He had asked her about that earlier when Snape walked in, but she hadn't known anything that could've helped them get it down. But if Harry knew his friend as good as he thought he did, he was sure there was that ever familiar light in her eyes, that usually meant that she had a mystery to solve and that she wouldn't rest before she had all the facts right. Harry had no doubt that they would get that painting down sooner or later, and really, Sirius probably wouldn't object to demolishing the whole wall if necessary.

"**But what's a portrait of your mother doing here?" Harry asked, bewildered,**

"Harry, Harry, Harry…" Fred shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Really, is it that hard to figure out?" George sighed deeply, before snickering with his twin. Harry rolled his eyes.

He had never had that much time to talk with his godfather before this summer, and hadn't known much about anything. Least of all Sirius' family, seeing as his godfather very rarely talked about them.

Of course he had always felt connected to him, and they had exchanged letters over the summer before fourth year. But when he had gotten to spend time with Sirius at the headquarters… he had gotten a feel of the 'family' he could have had if Pettigrew hadn't escaped. And they had talked, more than Harry had ever talked to any adult and he felt closer to Sirius than any other adult too. He had learnt so much about his godfather, but he couldn't deny that there were things that Sirius avoided talking about. Like his years at Azkaban, and a bit of their Hogwarts years. Harry could always tell when it got too painful for his godfather and backed down even though he would have liked to hear more about his parents.

But it couldn't happen, and that was just his life. The family part that is.

**as they went through the door from the hall and led the way down a flight of narrow stone steps, the others just behind them.**

"**Hasn't anyone told you? This was my parents' house," said Sirius. "But I'm the last Black left, so it's mine now. I offered it to Dumbledore for Headquarters - about the only useful thing I've been able to do."**

The adults in the room glanced at each other. It had been a very lucky thing that Sirius was indeed the last Black. It would otherwise have been Draco Malfoy's house, and they all knew who could have gotten access to its dark secrets then. The house was filled with objects that would have been very bad in the hands of certain death eaters. They had been cleaning the junk out of the house for months now, but it had been a real sight the first time they had stepped in through the door.

Kind of ironic though, the headquarters for the light side residing in this house, the epitome of darkness.

**Harry, who had expected a better welcome, noted how hard and bitter Sirius's voice sounded.**

Sirius widened his eyes and threw his arms around his godson bringing him close, ignoring the snort that Remus let out.

"Welcome Harry! My favourite godson here at last," Sirius almost shouted straight into his ear, and Harry rolled his eyes but laughed anyway.

"I'm your only godson," he pointed out, and got an elbow in the side for his trouble. He pouted at his godfather playfully rubbing his chest, and moving his chair further away.

"Oh shut it," Sirius laughed and reached out to ruffle Harry's hair.

"Well you're my favourite godfather too," Harry ducked the offending hand and smoothed his hair over his forehead, lifting his head haughtily and raised an eyebrow. And then he met the eyes of Ron and burst out laughing.

The only person in the room not even a bit amused by the antics of the two Gryffindor's, was our much loved potions master. Clearly he should have just stayed away, Snape thought with a deep sneer lining his face. If this was what his day would look like, he was not going to hold himself responsible for any injuries he caused. But he couldn't deny himself in the fact that he had been intrigued about the things going on. Maybe he could finally catch the brat red handed –even three months late was better than nothing.

Dumbledore looked on sadly. This was the most animated he had seen the two men for a long time. And yes, two men. Harry had gone through too much to be considered a boy anymore, but he still needed the protection.

**He followed his godfather to the bottom of the steps and through a door leading into the basement kitchen.**

**It was scarcely less gloomy than the hall above, a cavernous room with rough stone walls. Most of the light was coming from a large fire at the far end of the room. A haze of pipe smoke hung in the air like battle fumes, through which loomed the menacing shapes of heavy iron pots and pans hanging from the dark ceiling.**

Molly frowned to herself at that. She had been trying so very hard to make at least the kitchen look welcoming and less dark than the rest of the house. This description though didn't seem very positive. She didn't know what to do! The kitchen had always been where she belonged; where she felt strong and needed, and now she couldn't even get it clean! The house seemed to be fighting back, and every battle they won the house would strike back tenfold next time.

But nothing stopped a determined Weasley!

**Many chairs had been crammed into the room for the meeting and a long wooden table stood in the middle of them, littered with rolls of parchment, goblets, empty wine bottles, and a heap of what appeared to be rags. **

Remus shook his head. That didn't sound very good for the Order. Wine bottles, that just made it seem like they sat down, got drunk, and went out on suicide missions. And what was with the rags?

**Mr. Weasley and his eldest son Bill were talking quietly with their heads together at the end of the table.**

Moody glared in the direction of the book, as if daring it to take it back. How foolish could they be? The meeting was over and there were curious ears on the loose! That was not the time to discuss any information. Constant vigilance!

**Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat. Her husband, a thin, balding, red-haired man who wore horn-rimmed glasses, looked around and jumped to his feet.**

Arthur smiled sheepishly at the old auror and his wife. Yes, not his brightest moment that was for sure. But he couldn't help feeling slightly amused at his description in the book. It was very accurate after all.

"**Harry!" Mr. Weasley said, hurrying forward to greet him, and shaking his hand vigorously.**

Harry smiled warmly at Mr. Weasley when the man turned to him. He really was one of the nicest men Harry knew, and he looked up to him immensely. And his never ending fascination with muggles made it impossible for them to have an awkward moment, there was always some question or another. And Harry could never fully express how grateful he was for the fact that Mr.- and Mrs. Weasley had welcomed him into their home so readily time after time, not caring about the risk they were under because of him. That meant more than anything.

The Weasley kid's in the room didn't say anything. They had always known Harry liked coming to the Burrow, but it seemed they hadn't really appreciated how much Harry loved it there. It was odd to think that someone with that much money, who was used to live in a very clean and un-cluttered house ever could enjoy living at the Burrow, as it was the complete opposite.

"Well, he always was bit of a nutter," Fred whispered to George before they both snorted. Yeah right!

What none of them fully realized yet was that it wasn't really Harry who _lived_ in that house. _He_ was the one who cleaned everything and then got shoved into his room to wait until the next task bestowed upon him. He only had money in the Wizarding world, and his hand-me-downs were much worse than anything the Weasley's owned.

"**Good to see you!"**

**Over his shoulder Harry saw Bill, who still wore his long hair in a ponytail, hastily rolling up the lengths of parchment left on the table.**

Molly shook hear head. Really, leaving things like that around for everyone to see, especially the children. But she couldn't deny that she was very happy that her son was home again, she was able to see him much more now, and she would have a chance to cut that hair again. And maybe that girl would grow on her. She could after all see how much she meant to him. But things always change.

"**Journey all right, Harry?" Bill called, trying to gather up twelve scrolls at once. "Mad-Eye didn't make you come via Greenland, then?"**

Moody rolled his eyes. It was a wonder these people hadn't all been killed already. He was evidently the only one to really consider the risks of these times. There were dangers lurking everywhere! No need to mention he was the only one in the room who had spent almost a year locked up in a trunk.

Dumbledore watched his old friend rile himself up, and shook his head fondly. It was very much like Alastor to force people under his charge to take every precautionary action possible. And though it annoyed the others at the time, there was no doubt in the matter that Alastor had saved many lives through the years. What many people didn't realize was that Alastor Moody was fiercely protective and would rather go through all those extra measures than see anyone getting hurt. Tonks would never find a better mentor than his scarred old friend.

"**He tried," said Tonks, striding over to help Bill and immediately toppling a candle on to the last piece of parchment. "Oh no – sorry –**

Fred and George snickered, and Ginny rolled her eyes shaking her head at Tonks who had narrowed her eyes at the twins. Remus moved closer and whispered something into the young auror's ear, and first the twins were smirking but their faces quickly grew doubtful when Tonks smiled at them.

Sirius and Harry turned simultaneously and smirked at Remus, who was quite resolutely not meeting their eyes. Sirius had been badgering him for ages about this, and Harry was just too observant for his own good. It just wasn't that simple. It never was, being a werewolf and all that.

Tonks seemed to notice Sirius too, and glared at him when she saw Remus' slightly pink cheeks – even though that was just too cute! Sirius really could be a pain in the arse when he wanted to, he should just go back to worrying about Harry.

"**Here, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, sounding exasperated,**

Molly smiled apologetically at Tonks, but the young witch waved her away. She knew she was a hazard to all things fragile, but that's what 'Reparo' was for after all. Oddly enough she was very good at that charm. She snorted.

**and she repaired the parchment with a wave of her wand. In the flash of light caused by Mrs. Weasley's charm Harry caught a glimpse of what looked like the plan of a building.**

Sirius cuffed his godson on the head lightly, and mock glared at him. Harry rubbed the side of his head with a slightly betrayed expression.

"What was that for? It was on the table, I saw it on accident," he grumbled, knowing very well that Sirius wouldn't believe him. Ron snorted, and Harry turned his head to glare at him.

"Oh, shut up Ron."

**Mrs. Weasley had seen him looking. She snatched the plan off the table and stuffed it into Bill's already over laden arms.**

"**This sort of thing ought to be cleared away promptly at the end of meetings," she snapped, before sweeping off towards an ancient dresser from which she started unloading dinner plates.**

Moody nodded to himself. At least one person understood that. If they didn't want to tell these kids anything, then they needed to make sure they couldn't get the information elsewhere. That was where it turned dangerous.

**Bill took out his wand, muttered, "Evanesco!" and the scrolls vanished.**

"Why didn't he do that from the beginning?" Ginny laughed. All that commotion over with a flick of her older brother's wand, but they had to start scrambling around. She wouldn't lie, she had been just as curious as Harry about those scrolls, but it seemed he had been the only one to catch a glimpse.

"**Sit down, Harry," said Sirius. "You've met Mundungus, haven't you?"**

**The thing Harry had taken to be a pile of rags gave a prolonged, grunting snore, then jerked awake.**

The twins, Ron and Ginny laughed hard at that one, and Molly glared disapprovingly at Sirius who was also laughing. He was the one who let that scumbag stay for dinner every time, even though it was Mundungus' fault Harry was almost killed. Of course Sirius had been angry, furious even but then why did he let that thief stay?

"I love your descriptions Harry! They are so spot on," Sirius laughed, even though the sound was a bit stilted if you listened closely. It was easier to be calm about this when he had Harry besides him, and he could make sure he was okay. But he had been this close to killing Dung when he first arrived there, and he had blown up on him several times after that. Then he had just sunken into a depression, feeling worthless for not being able to protect his godson in any way, and Moony had to come and drag him back to the land of the living. But Harry was here now, and Dung really provided information that they could not obtain form anywhere else. And the fact that Dung was homeless in all the ways that counted, he felt it was the right thing to do when he let him stay for dinner.

'**Some'n say m'name?' Mundungus mumbled sleepily. "I 'gree with Sirius…"**

Harry raised an eyebrow at his godfather, who smiled sheepishly. Yeah, Dung was trying very hard to stay on Sirius' good side these days, trying to avoid any more shouting.

Harry rolled his eyes, but couldn't deny that it felt good to know that Sirius had been angry at Mundungus, that he had been worried about him.

**He raised a very grubby hand in the air as though voting, his droopy, bloodshot eyes unfocused.**

**Ginny giggled.**

Molly frowned. She didn't want her children near these kinds of people. People like Mundungus Fletcher were not good role models. She was dreading the fact that her boys seemed to enjoy talking to him so much, listening to his horrid stories about 'business'.

"**The meeting's over, Dung," said Sirius, as they all sat down around him at the table. "Harry's arrived."**

"**Eh?" said Mundungus, peering balefully at Harry through his matted ginger hair. "Blimey, so 'e 'as. Yeah… you all right, 'Arry?"**

Hermione snorted angrily. She didn't know what to think of Mundungus Fletcher. She was furious with him for risking her best friends life and then all those illegal things. But she had heard Sirius tell Remus that he was homeless, and couldn't help but to pity him, if just a bit. No one deserved that.

"**Yeah," said Harry.**

**Mundungus fumbled nervously in his pockets, still staring at Harry, and pulled out a grimy black pipe. He stuck it in his mouth, ignited the end of it with his wand and took a deep pull on it. Great billowing clouds of greenish smoke obscured him within seconds.**

Molly clucked her tongue, just bursting with the need to say something. Really, smoking in the kitchen?

"**Owe you a 'pology," grunted a voice from the middle of the smelly cloud.**

The women in the room wrinkled their noses at that. They hated when he smoked inside the house. Moody was only concerned with the fact that it obscured his vision, even though only partially because of his magic eye.

"Yeah he does," growled Sirius quietly so only Harry and Remus could hear him. Harry didn't feel like pointing out that it had been an apology, and Remus just decided to let Sirius brood in peace.

"**For the last time, Mundungus," called Mrs. Weasley, "will you please not smoke that thing in the kitchen, especially not when we're about to eat!"**

Molly nodded satisfied to herself.

"**Ah," said Mundungus. "Right. Sorry, Molly."**

**The cloud of smoke vanished as Mundungus stowed his pipe back in his pocket, but an acrid smell of burning socks lingered.**

"How lovely!" George snorted. He couldn't say he enjoyed the smell either, but Dung was hilarious. He also realized their mother didn't like him, so they made sure to spend just that much more time with the scruffy man, just so they could get on her nerves but not make her explode.

"**And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand," Mrs. Weasley said to the room at large. "No, you can stay where you are, Harry dear, you've had a long journey."**

"You never make him help! And he's the only one who really wants to anyway!" Fred grumbled, but winked at Harry when Mrs. Weasley wasn't looking. Molly glared at her sons before glancing at Harry. She didn't want him to over work himself, he always looked so pale and weak, and she feared he would tire.

"A bit of work won't kill you," she frowned at them, before one last glance in Harry's direction.

Harry rolled his eyes. He had seen the look Mrs. Weasley gave him. It was like he was always healing from some severe sickness and he was never allowed to do anything. He wouldn't mind doing something, he was used to chores and felt bad when Mrs. Weasley was always cooking and cleaning by herself. He would gladly ask Dobby if he would want to help out at the Burrow if he didn't know that idea would be rejected by the Weasley's and their pride.

"**What can I do, Molly?" said Tonks enthusiastically, bounding forwards.**

"Okay, so Harry and Tonks are the only ones, but you never make them help!" George joined in before laughing. Everyone knew why no one wanted Tonks help, especially near glass and knives.

Tonks huffed playfully, and ignored the snickers from Sirius and Remus. She was perfectly aware of her own clumsiness, thank you very much.

**Mrs. Weasley hesitated, looking apprehensive.**

Tonks once again smiled reassuringly at Molly who was looking apologetic. It wasn't their fault her body wouldn't listen to reason.

"**Er - no, it's all right, Tonks, you have a rest too, you've done enough today."**

"**No, no, I want to help!" said Tonks brightly, knocking over a chair as she hurried towards the dresser, from which Ginny was collecting cutlery.**

Tonks smiled sheepishly when Moody snorted. That did sound kind of dangerous for anyone too close to her. Maybe they should just tie her down somewhere so she couldn't hurt anyone.

"I think it's cute," a warm whisper in her ear, and she flushed bright pink before quickly schooling her expression. She turned to smile at the man besides her, momentarily forgetting the room full of people and Sirius.

"You do?"

"Yes." Blush again.

**Soon, a series of heavy knives were chopping meat and vegetables of their own accord, supervised by Mr. Weasley, while Mrs. Weasley stirred a cauldron dangling over the fire and the others took out plates, more goblets and food from the pantry. Harry was left at the table with Sirius and Mundungus, who was still blinking at him mournfully.**

"**Seen old Figgy since?" he asked.**

Sirius snorted. Dung was bloody terrified of that old lady nowadays. Sirius always knew there was something about the old cat loving squib that he liked, she wasn't afraid to say it how she saw it and had been a real joy at meetings before he was chucked into Azkaban.

"**No," said Harry, "I haven't seen anyone."**

"**See, I wouldn't 'ave left," said Mundungus, leaning forward, a pleading note in his voice, "but I 'ad a business opportunity -"**

Ron scowled. He usually thought that Mundungus business stories were fairly hilarious, but leaving his best mate in trouble like that? Not cool.

"And that was more important than Harry?" Hermione cried out, an angry scowl lining her face. She couldn't even think about what could have happened if Harry hadn't been able to protect himself. And even then she remembered it had been a close call. She shuddered.

**Harry felt something brush against his knees and started, but it was only Crookshanks, Hermione's bandy-legged ginger cat,**

Hermione who was still very much angry huffed but didn't say anything.

**who wound himself once around Harry's legs, purring, then jumped on to Sirius's lap and curled up. Sirius scratched him absent-mindedly behind the ears as he turned, still grim-faced, to Harry.**

"You hate cats Padfoot, what's with this one?" Remus asked softly.

"Crookshanks is smart; he was the first one to believe in my innocence, if that makes sense?" Remus' face fell when reminded of those years believing Sirius to be guilty, that he deserved to be sent to Azkaban. It was easy to forget sometimes that Sirius wasn't the same happy young man anymore, but sometimes you could see the darkness in his eyes that hadn't been there before. And Remus couldn't deny that he was impressed with how Sirius handled Harry.

Sirius _had _changed, but it wasn't in a bad way.

"**Had a good summer so far?"**

"Sorry, stupid question really," Sirius grinned at his godson, who smiled back. How could he ever have thought it would have been a good idea to send Harry to that place? After all that had happened last year and they send him off somewhere and forbid any contact. He hadn't even had a real chance to talk with his godson with everything going on, the Order and the Ministry being the biggest reasons his time with Harry had been cut short. Really, he was the worst godfather in the world!

Harry watched as Sirius practically deflated in his seat, and looked over at Ron, but he only shrugged unhelpfully.

"**No, it's been lousy," said Harry.**

**For the first time, something like a grin flitted across Sirius's face.**

"**Don't know what you're complaining about, myself."**

"Sirius!" Molly exclaimed and Remus frowned at his friend. That really had been a stupid and insensitive thing to say, even more now that they knew what Harry had to put up with because of them. Sirius might not have known as much back then but saying something like that?

"Sorry Harry, I didn't know," Sirius tried to meet Harry's eyes but his godson wasn't looking at him. This book just couldn't leave that alone could it? He always had to be reminded of his relatives in some way, didn't he?

"Harry-"

"Forget about it Sirius, it wasn't important," Harry flashed a quick smile at his godfather before looking down again, making Sirius feel even more guilty and Remus worried.

Moody frowned at the scene playing on in front of him, and then turned to Dumbledore. What was it that he had missed? Something important that had to do with the Potter boy it seemed like. He quickly realized Dumbledore wouldn't give him any answers.

Tonks, who had stumbled into the kitchen earlier, had her suspicions, but she still didn't understand what was going on. Had something besides the dementor attack happened with Harry's relatives?

"**What?" said Harry incredulously.**

"**Personally, I'd have welcomed a Dementor attack. A deadly struggle for my soul would have broken the monotony nicely.**

Remus elbowed Sirius hard for that one. It was a horrible thing to say to Harry. Remus knew Harry feared the possibility that Sirius would be recaptured, and he admitted that he was worried too. Add the fact that Harry's biggest fear was Dementors, Sirius really couldn't have picked a worse thing to say. And Remus clearly remembered telling Sirius this!

"What?" Sirius hissed, even though he knew perfectly well what he had done to deserve that one. He just didn't know how to apologize to Harry when he didn't even look at him.

"You know what Harry's boggart is!" Sirius winced, and reached out to Harry who still didn't look at him. But Harry shook his hand off.

**You think you've had it bad, at least you've been able to get out and about, stretch your legs, get into a few fights… I've been stuck inside for a month."**

Sirius would have glared at the headmaster, but he was too worried about his godson at the moment to really register what Tonks was reading.

Moody threw the man a calculating look. He had come to now Sirius Black quite well when he first started working under him at the Ministry. You could say Sirius and James had been his first students, like Nymphadora. He knew his tendencies of acting first thinking later, but Sirius wasn't a foolish man, far from it actually.

That had been one of the reasons he had been so shocked –yes, he was shocked, when he had arrived at the scene of the massacre, which was blamed on Sirius. Now in hindsight it had been so clear that there was something wrong with the picture woven by the Ministry, but at the time Alastor himself had been so caught up in the betrayal to think much of the fact that there had never been a trial. He was ashamed of himself.

Sirius Black was a changed man, no wonder after spending over a decade in Azkaban, but one thing was for sure. Sirius Black was as good at sitting still now as he had been twelve years ago, meaning that Dumbledore would have to revaluate his decision of locking him up or face the consequences, and Moody feared they would be tragic.

"**How come?" asked Harry, frowning.**

Really that had hit something inside Harry. It had reminded him so much of his own summer, and flared that memory of Sirius that first night at the Shack. Even after almost a year out of prison, he was still filthy and thin as a thread. His face was haunted, and Harry knew he would never quite get to know the Sirius his parents had known, the Sirius who had caused havoc all around him. It was too late to take back all those years, and until the Ministry could pull their heads out of their arses then Sirius would never be free.

"**Because the Ministry of Magic's still after me, and Voldemort will know all about me being an Animagus by now, Wormtail will have told him, so my big disguise is useless. There's not much I can do for the Order of the Phoenix… or so Dumbledore feels."**

Harry raised an eyebrow at Ron, who widened his eyes and quirked his lips. Harry forced his own lips from forming a smirk; it wasn't too hard when Hermione caught his gaze.

He had been speculating with Ron for some time about becoming Animagus, but they hadn't mentioned it to Hermione yet, they knew they would have to sooner or later, because they would need her help and she would kick their arses if they left her out of it. Harry had been able to smuggle some books out from the Black library, he had even conjured copies of the books so they wouldn't be noticed missing. He could only hope Sirius wouldn't notice, because it would be clear what they were trying to do if someone noticed which books he had nicked… borrowed.

Snape noticed this silent conversation but dismissed it from his mind under the notion to keep more alert for pranks, how that was even possible he didn't know as he was in the same room as those twin menaces. There was nothing in that sentence that would spark the interest of those dunderheads, he was sure.

**There was something about the slightly flattened tone of voice in which Sirius uttered Dumbledore's name that told Harry that Sirius, too, was not very happy with the Headmaster.**

**Harry felt a sudden upsurge of affection for his godfather.**

Harry didn't even bother to apologize and Sirius didn't shift any of his attention from his godson to that old coot. Instead he huffed and finally gave up on the staring match he had going on with the side of Harry's head, and ignoring the indignant grunt he slung his arm over the thin shoulders and brought him closer, just like yesterday. This time however he had to duck an incoming elbow to his gut, but it didn't deter him. Harry glared at him and Sirius glared back, using his size to his advantage and pinning the dark haired teen to his side.

"Don't shut me out Harry, you need me whether you like it or not." Harry huffed and tried to wriggle free, but Sirius was too big and too strong for him. So he gave up and slumped in his chair, letting himself pout at the mutt he called his godfather.

Hermione and Ron were watching them struggle, marvelling how relaxed Harry seemed even though he was annoyed at Sirius. Hermione could even detect a slight twitch in her friend's lip that clearly showed that he was fighting of a smile.

Snape was scowling, but as that wasn't anything unusual no one really paid any attention to him. And that suited him just fine.

"**At least you've known what's been going on," he said bracingly.**

Sirius glared at the wall behind the headmaster. Personally he would rather be in the dark and be able to go outside than be stuck at the Order meetings but unable to act. He would even skip the Order meetings if they would have gone with his idea and let him reside with his godson at Privet Drive in his Animagus form. He would have been able to keep an eye on Harry and make sure nothing happened. But somehow that idea had been shot down rather quickly.

"**Oh yeah," said Sirius sarcastically. "Listening to Snape's reports, having to take all his snide hints that he's out there risking his life while I'm sat on my backside here having a nice comfortable time… asking me how the cleanings going -"**

Everyone but Molly, Arthur and Dumbledore glared at the potions professor with varying degrees of anger and disgust. Snape ignored them all, a small smirk curling his mouth.

It was so rewarding to know that he could rile up that dog as much as he wanted, and then be able to watch as Black was unable to reciprocate and instead sink lower and lower into a depression first created by the time served behind the grimy walls of Azkaban.

Remus didn't hold his glower for long, but the reminder had him worrying about his friend all over again. He knew better than anyone that Sirius was bound to do something rash and stupid sooner or later if Dumbledore continued insisting that he stay in the house.

"**What cleaning?" asked Harry.**

"**Trying to make this place fit for human habitation," said Sirius, waving a hand around the dismal kitchen. "No one's lived here for ten years, not since my dear mother died, unless you count her old house-elf, and he's gone round the twist - hasn't cleaned anything in ages."**

Hermione huffed, but refrained from saying anything. She knew she was right in her beliefs but she wasn't blind. She realized now wasn't the time or place to start lecturing about it, she would have to find another way to go about things. And really she just wanted to hear Harry's thoughts about what happened next, Harry's thoughts were fascinating and she thought she was starting to understand a couple of things better.

"**Sirius," said Mundungus, who did not appear to have paid any attention to the conversation, but had been closely examining an empty goblet. "This solid silver, mate?"**

"**Yes," said Sirius, surveying it with distaste. "Finest fifteenth-century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest."**

Sirius snorted in disgust. For all that he cared Mundungus could take whatever he wanted… maybe he should strike up a deal. He could certainly make some profit from this. Not that he had anything to use it on in the house.

"**That'd come off, though," muttered Mundungus, polishing it with his cuff.**

Mrs. Weasley sniffed, and turned her nose away from the book. Mundungus Fletcher was a thief and a bad example for the kids, he certainly shouldn't be part of the noble Order of The Phoenix.

"**Fred - George - NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.**

The twins covered their smiles when their mother shot a sharp look their way. That one had been a close one, and that thing with Ginny, and once when they… well, maybe their mother had a point.

**Harry, Sirius and Mundungus looked round and, a split second later, they had dived away from the table. Fred and George had bewitched a large cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, to hurtle through the air towards them. The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface; the flagon of Butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere; the bread knife slipped off the board and landed, point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before.**

Sirius examined his hand with wide eyes, not having noticed at the time how close he had been to being impaled. The twins were looking every bit as horrified as Mrs. Weasley. They had not realized how close they had been. It was sort of a golden rule in their jokes. Everything was good until someone got hurt, they didn't want to kill anyone! They really would have to think over some things.

"Sirius, we're really sorry-"

"-and we promise it won't happen again. We didn't mean anything to happen." Molly stopped herself from screaming, closing her mouth in shock. Her boys had just apologized, without being told to do it.

Sirius just waved them off looking as cheerful as ever, apparently already over the fact that he could have gotten his hand completely severed off. He had in his bewildered examination of his hand let go of Harry for a moment, but to Harry's own surprise he had not moved away and readily accepted the arm that hugged him closer for a second before relaxing around his shoulder.

"It's fine you two, don't worry about it. I've certainly come closer to losing an appendage before," Sirius reassured the twins who were looking sombre. Remus snorted rather loudly but tried to pass it off as a cough, and Harry noted how Tonks also snickered. Sirius shot them both a glower before punching the werewolf in the arm. It only seemed to set him off more. Soon they were both laughing.

"Professor Lupin, what is it?" Hermione asked after a moment, smiling slightly at the rapidly turning red man. Sirius tried to calm down, he really did! But then he would just catch another look of Moony's face and he would just crack up again. Tonks was barely controlling herself too; she had heard this story before. Unsurprisingly it was Remus who managed to calm down first, meeting many confused but amused faces looking at him, the most important one being Harry.

"It is a rather long story, involving a certain… joke we played on James in our fourth year. Sirius here had to be scarified in the progress. And I must insist you call me Remus, I'm not your professor any longer and haven't been for a long time now," Remus smiled, chuckling slightly when Sirius huffed besides him.

"It wasn't my fault that Prongs found out and turned the thing on us, you could have bloody well helped me! I was stuck in the…" Sirius trailed off suddenly, turning a very peculiar shade of pink before glaring at Remus who was laughing again. Snape turned his face away, hiding his hateful sneer from Dumbledore's overly observant eyes.

"You were stuck where?" Harry asked curiously, his big green eyes making Sirius just a bit more flustered. How did you lie to a face like that? That had certainly been one of the more embarrassing pranks gone wrong, and he had vowed to never speak of it again, and Moony had promised too! Traitor.

"It's a rather long story… I'll tell you later," he said quickly, trying to rein in the certain blush- NO! Sirius Black did not blush, it was just hot in here.

The twins on the other hand had been shocked out of their musings, and were gaping at each other mouthing 'Prongs' at each other.

"**FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" screamed Mrs. Weasley.**"**THERE WAS NO NEED - I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS - JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!"**

Molly glared at her boys, but it wasn't as angry as it maybe would have been earlier.

"**We were just trying to save a bit of time!" said Fred, hurrying forward to wrench the bread knife out of the table. "Sorry, Sirius, mate - didn't mean to -"**

**Harry and Sirius were both laughing;**

Harry snickered remembering. The look on Sirius face had been rather hilarious and Dung slipping of that chair had certainly lightened the mood for them.

"You just laugh Harry, I could have been seriously hurt," his godfather pouted at him, but Harry wasn't about to take the bait for that one.

"Don't try that one with me, you were laughing too!"

**Mundungus, who had toppled backwards off his chair, was swearing**

Mrs. Weasley huffed. Yet another reason why that man was a bad example for her children.

**as he got to his feet; Crookshanks had given an angry hiss and shot off under the dresser, from where his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness.**

"**Boys," Mr. Weasley said, lifting the stew back into the middle of the table, "your mother's right, you're supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've come of age -"**

The twins looked down at their laps. Reprimands from their father were much harder and serious, because he rarely did it. They knew he really was disappointed in them if he got quiet and too calm, and they never wanted that. They wanted their parents to be proud of them without having to change who they were. It wasn't an act when they said that their names were Gred and Forge, they were maybe two separate persons but they both knew they would be lost without each other. Some may say this was a bad thing, but it meant security to them, to always know their other half is going to be there.

"**None of your brothers caused this sort of trouble!" Mrs. Weasley raged at the twins as she slammed a fresh flagon of Butterbeer on to the table, and spilling almost as much again. "Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet! Charlie didn't charm everything he met! Percy -"**

The Weasley's stiffened in their seats. Molly turned pale and looked over at her husband who was also looking paler except for the redness in the tip of his ears. It really was a big cloud over everything in their lives, and the fact that his son hadn't even visited him at the hospital… Arthur couldn't deny it hurt. His son… he could only wish.

The twins were barely keeping quiet, if only on the behalf of their parents.

Ginny merely flinched before glaring down at the floor, she may say she hated her brother and in some ways that was true, but he was family and he hadn't always been a stuck up prat. She loved all her brothers, and there was a reason she never said who was her favourite one. She was close with all of them, they were important for her in different ways. And Percy fitted into that picture, but he left, and that was inexcusable for her, for the family.

Ron was very tense, and his knuckles were white from how hard he was clenching his fists on his thighs. Hermione and Harry shared an uncomfortable look, both remembering that letter Percy had sent, not sure of what they were supposed to say to their friend. The finally settled on quiet support, Harry placing a hand on Ron's shoulder and Hermione clutching his hand tightly.

Sirius and Remus and Tonks shared a look, and Sirius shrugged before deflating under Remus' hard stare. Sirius never did have anything nice to say about Percy and it was something he and Remus talked a lot about. In Sirius eyes Percy had done the unthinkable, he had abandoned his family, almost betrayed them for the Ministry. And that was too close in Sirius' mind to one Peter Pettigrew. Remus just couldn't think badly of a person he barely knew, he needed to know the facts before he judged. They were very careful to keep these talks quiet, and even Sirius had enough tact not to mention him in front of any of the Weasley's.

**She stopped dead, catching her breath with a frightened look at her husband, whose expression was suddenly wooden.**

Arthur reassured his softly crying wife quietly, holding her close and whispering in her ear. Percy would come to his senses; there was too much proof and logical facts to ignore in the long run. Arthur just feared that it would be too late. He looked over his children, again realizing how much he had neglected them lately, they had all been hurting. In the moment were one of his children walked out he had forgotten the other ones, a mistake he wouldn't repeat.

"**Let's eat," said Bill quickly.**

Ginny almost snorted. Bill had the tact of an angry dragon. God, she missed him! He was the one she sought out when she needed decisions and logic. He helped her understand homework when younger and life now that she was older. There was so much he had taught her.

"**It looks wonderful, Molly," said Lupin, ladling stew on to a plate for her and handing it across the table.**

Remus smiled reassuringly when Molly glanced over at him with tearful eyes. He had always felt grateful for the presence of Molly Weasley in his life, and she had helped him through many years of depression, both as younger and after that fateful Halloween night.

**For a few minutes there was silence but for the chink of plates and cutlery and the scraping of chairs as everyone settled down to their food. Then Mrs. Weasley turned to Sirius.**

"**I've been meaning to tell you, Sirius, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a Boggart, but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out."**

Moody nodded to himself. It had been just a boggart, but he was pleased to hear that they were careful about it either way, maybe they weren't beyond saving after all. And the ridiculous notion that he knew what a boggart looked like? Why would he share that information? It could just be his biggest fear and then the enemy would know and take advantage and they would all die and the hope of the wizarding world would be extinguished. Yes, better to keep that secret to himself. Constant vigilance!

"**Whatever you like," said Sirius indifferently.**

"**The curtains in there are full of Doxys, too," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow."**

Fred looked up startled at Harry who was sporting equally wide eyes. They had not counted on this happening whilst hiding their products from their mother. He knew Harry had seen them smuggling Doxys that day. Hopefully it wouldn't be mentioned!

Harry just didn't want to imagine Mrs. Weasley's reaction to him giving all his winnings to the twins. He knew Sirius wouldn't be upset, he would probably be proud of him. And that eased some of Harry's feelings of unease.

"**I look forward to it," said Sirius. Harry heard the sarcasm in his voice, but he was not sure that anyone else did.**

Molly frowned to herself thinking of that night. She was not proud of her actions, but she couldn't help but think there was some truth in her words.

Remus had certainly heard the sarcasm, and he remembered being partly worried and partly relieved. On one hand Sirius using sarcasm wasn't anything even remotely shocking, but after being imprisoned for so long he had become quieter in some ways and also more careful of what he said, like he feared he would insult someone and they would start hating him again.

But on the other hand Sirius never used to speak sharply to Molly, but after being in that house for so long unable to do anything, Remus could see why Sirius was getting very frustrated with Molly. She could be a bit overbearing at times, and Remus remembered very well that shouting match, and the hurt that had flickered in Sirius' eyes. How had he not thought to move in sooner?

**Opposite Harry, Tonks was entertaining Hermione and Ginny by transforming her nose between mouthfuls. Screwing up her eyes each time with the same pained expression she had worn back in Harry's bedroom,**

"I look pained when I do it?" Tonks asked curiously looking around the room. Her eyes landed on Remus who was trying to avoid her eyes, and she cast a suspicious look her cousin's way. Anything that made Remus go red was usually linked back to Sirius. And she was partially right on this one. There had been an instant involving a bit too much alcohol on Moony's part and some well masked questions on Sirius' part that somehow led to Remus confessing to his huge crush on Tonks. He had also let slip how cute he thought she looked when she concentrated on her transformation. Needless to say Remus had not been very happy in the morning.

"You look wonderful whatever you do Tonks, right Moony?" Sirius grinned and laughed when Remus glared at him, ignoring the questioning looks around the room. He winked at Tonks before ducking a sharp elbow to his guts.

"No Remus, remember what you promised! No violence, it was not my fault. You just-" Remus cut him off with a look that promised severe pain if he finished that sentence, so he settled on laughing instead, jokingly dragging a very confused but slightly amused Harry to shield him.

The moment was broken however by a very pointed scoff from Snape, and they turned back to the book, or in Sirius' case to glare at the git.

**her nose swelled to a beak-like protuberance that resembled Snape's**

Snape's glare shifted from Black to the dark haired brat besides the mutt.

The students in the room were laughing hard; even Hermione was giggling slightly behind her hand and besides her Ron was nearly breathless. The twins were encouraging Tonks to show them, but the young auror had enough self preservation to not even attempt it at the moment.

Harry was covering in his seat a bit, shrinking down trying to get out of direct aim from his professors wand. He did not trust those hands in those robe pockets. Sirius on the other hand had not even stopped to chuckle but had continued to glare at the slimy git. He may have promised to himself to try and make peace with Snape, but the way he was glaring a hole into his godson he didn't think it would really ever work.

**, shrank to the size of a button mushroom and then sprouted a great deal of hair from each nostril.**

**Apparently this was a regular mealtime entertainment, because Hermione and Ginny were soon requesting their favourite noses.**

"**Do that one like a pig snout, Tonks."**

**Tonks obliged, and Harry, looking up, had the fleeting impression that a female Dudley was grinning at him from across the table.**

The room tensed up slightly, and even the enraged potions professor shifted his eyes away. There were only three people in the room who didn't understand the sudden stillness.

Harry was bewildered. How did the slightest mention of the Dursley's freeze everyone up like this? He could practically feel Sirius shaking, and Ron and Hermione were shooting very odd looks his way. Mrs. Weasley was looking torn between furious and disgusted. The twins weren't smiling but instead shooting very dark looks at the book. Harry just didn't understand.

Tonks and Moody exchange looks over the table, silently coming to an understanding to find out more that would help them understand, but not now, maybe later when they could talk to Sirius or Dumbledore alone. Tonks cleared her throat and continued.

**Mr. Weasley, Bill and Lupin were having an intense discussion about goblins.**

"**They're not giving anything away yet," said Bill. "I still can't work out whether or not they believe he's back. Course, they might prefer not to take sides at all. Keep out of it."**

"**I'm sure they'd never go over to You-Know-Who," said Mr. Weasley, shaking his head.**

"**They've suffered losses too; remember that goblin family he murdered last time, somewhere near Nottingham?"**

"**I think it depends what they're offered," said Lupin. "And I'm not talking about gold. If they're offered the freedoms we've been denying them for centuries they're going to be tempted. Have you still not had any luck with Ragnok, Bill?"**

"**He's feeling pretty anti-wizard at the moment," said Bill, "he hasn't stopped raging about the Bagman business, he reckons the Ministry did a cover-up, those goblins never got their gold from him, you know -"**

Dumbledore frowned to himself slightly, but there was no other sign pointing to the very important thoughts roaming around his head.

The goblins would be a deadly factor in the war if they wanted, and Dumbledore feared the very same things as his fellow Order members. Tom Riddle had been a very charming young man, and he may have changed his appearance and name, but Voldemort still knew the right things to say and promise, even if he never intended to keep that promise. You could never know with the goblins and Voldemort could either get a priceless alley, or take a very big hit to his resources. Either way it wouldn't be pretty. Dumbledore feared he would have to withdrawn Mr. Weasley and Miss. Delacour from Gringotts sooner or later because the risks working with very suspicious goblins would be too high.

**A gale of laughter from the middle of the table drowned the rest of Bill's words. Fred, George, Ron and Mundungus were rolling around in their seats.**

Molly huffed again.

"… **and then," choked Mundungus, tears running down his face, "and then, if you'll believe it, 'e says to me, 'e says, 'Ere, Dung, where did ya get all them toads from? 'Cos some son of a Bludger's gone and nicked all mine!' And I says, 'Nicked all your toads, Will, what next? So you'll be wanting some more, then?' And if you'll believe me, lads, the gormless gargoyle buys all 'is own toads back orf me for a lot more'n what 'e paid in the first place -"**

Sirius chuckled slightly. He sometimes wondered how Dung was still alive.

"**I don't think we need to hear any more of your business dealings, thank you very much, Mundungus," said Mrs. Weasley sharply, as Ron slumped forwards on to the table, howling with laughter.**

Hermione shot Ron a look, silently telling him she was not impressed. He couldn't do more than shrug, Dung was funny.

"**Beg pardon, Molly," said Mundungus at once, wiping his eyes and winking at Harry. "But, you know, Will nicked 'em orf Warty Harris in the first place so I wasn't really doing nothing wrong."**

"How does he work that logic?" Tonks chuckled. She wasn't overly fond of Mundungus, but he wasn't a bad man, he just had his morals a bit upside down.

Sirius shrugged in response as no one answered. He seemed to be the most informed of the inner workings of Mundungus Fletcher, and that was shady at best.

"**I don't know where you learned about right and wrong, Mundungus, but you seem to have missed a few crucial lessons," said Mrs. Weasley coldly.**

**Fred and George buried their faces in their goblets of Butterbeer; George was hiccoughing. For some reason, Mrs. Weasley threw a very nasty look at Sirius before getting to her feet and going to fetch a large rhubarb crumble for pudding. Harry looked round at his godfather.**

"**Molly doesn't approve of Mundungus," said Sirius in an undertone.**

"No I don't. And I still don't understand why he is in the Order!" she exclaimed angrily. Arthur, who wanted to avoid another row, quickly dragged his wife down from where she had partially stood up in her anger.

"Dear Molly, you know very well that Mr. Fletcher has access to vital information that we wouldn't be able to come across without him. He is important." Dumbledore reminded Molly for the fourth time since Mundungus Fletcher had joined their ranks.

"Well yes, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a very bad example for all the kids-"

"Dear, we can talk about this later. Now is not the time, and the kids are fine. They know what's right and wrong," Arthur soothed quickly, shooting looks at all his kids. They were good people.

"**How come he's in the Order?" Harry said, very quietly.**

"**He's useful," Sirius muttered. "Knows all the crooks - well, he would, seeing as he's one himself. But he's also very loyal to Dumbledore, who helped him out of a tight spot once. It pays to have someone like Dung around, he hears things we don't. But Molly thinks inviting him to stay for dinner is going too far. She hasn't forgiven him for slipping off duty when he was supposed to be tailing you."**

Mrs. Weasley evidently wasn't finished.

"And how come you have Sirius?"

The room got quiet and eyes flicked between the two of them.

"Harry is fine, and we don't need fighting inside the Order. We need to keep together." Harry nodded besides Sirius, and Remus was smiling slightly. It was good to see that Sirius was still able to forgive. Because he _had_ been furious, and he was still tense with Dung even though the number of shouting matches had dropped down significantly.

Molly huffed.

**Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry's jeans was feeling uncomfortably tight (which was saying something as the jeans had once been Dudley's).**

"So Harry, we are going shopping later," Tonks informed bluntly, and snickered at the look on Harry's face. She wasn't the only one.

"Shopping… what for?" Harry was confused, and at the same time he was not looking forward to this, at all. Sure he didn't like the hand me downs he had, mainly because they were all several sizes too big, but he had managed this far. And he only wore them in the summer; even now he was wearing his school trousers and a Gryffindor Quidditch t-shirt. No one had noticed before.

"I'm not even going to answer that one, but prepare for shopping sometime in the near future," Tonks ignored the redness of the teens face completely and the fact that Harry really shouldn't be out in the public at the time, she would just have to work around it.

She did not fully understand yet, but she remembered those clothes, and remembered wondering about it. But she had not wanted to embarrass him by asking.

Ginny and Hermione were giggling at the faces Harry was making, and Ron had winced in sympathy, but they had to admit they had just thought Harry's relatives couldn't afford anything better.

**As he laid down his spoon there was a lull in the general conversation: Mr. Weasley was leaning back in his chair, looking replete and relaxed; Tonks was yawning widely, her nose now back to normal; and Ginny who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, rolling Butterbeer corks for him to chase.**

"**Nearly time for bed, I think," said Mrs. Weasley with a yawn.**

"**Not just yet, Molly" said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry.**

"**You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."**

"Well evidently you did, just the wrong people. So I was right all along," Sirius chuckled. Molly shot him a dark look. It was wrong to volunteer information for the children, even Fred and George. They were not part of the Order, and would never be if it was up to her.

Moody nodded approvingly. The other adults might not like it, but it was better to give them this knowledge in a controlled environment. Think what you like but Hogwarts was definitely not a place for secrets, and with all those Death eater spawn roaming the halls it was better to be warned. And these kids had gone through more than many, and Moody didn't doubt for a minute they would get to know just how much whilst reading these books.

**The atmosphere in the room changed with the rapidity Harry associated with the arrival of Dementors. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary.**

"I wasn't going to blow up the kitchen you know," Sirius whispered, but Remus looked very unconvinced.

"What do you call that shouting match then?" Sirius only rolled his eyes in response.

"**I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so -"**

Hermione glanced around the room warily. She was not keen to be the one to anger any of the very tense adults in the room. Sometimes it seemed a bit odd to listen to them go on about things that happened months ago, and she could see Harry agreed most of the time. She was not looking forward for the more… dangerous stuff they had done. Mrs. Weasley or Sirius wouldn't be very happy about some things.

"**And they're quite right," said Mrs. Weasley. "You're too young."**

Molly readied herself for another shouting match with her children, but no one said anything. Not even the twins! She waited a beat longer in shock, but none of them even looked at her. For all she knew they were avoiding catching her eye all together.

**She was sitting bolt upright in her chair, her fists clenched on its arms, every trace of drowsiness gone.**

"**Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius. "Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen—"**

"**Hang on!" interrupted George loudly.**

"Sorry mate," George winced. Not one of his best ideas. He had screwed up that time, maybe if he hadn't interrupted they could have avoided that row. Because even they could see that the stuff their mum had said had hurt Sirius, and he was kind of a hero to them. And not just because of awesome prank ideas, but because when they heard Sirius talk about his friends, they could practically hear how much he loved them and how he would do anything for them. They admired his loyalty, and they hoped that their friends were as great as Sirius.

"**How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily.**

"**We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George.**

The twins winced simultaneously, in a way they were very prone to do, and glanced at each other. They were not very proud of their past selves at the moment, not at all. They had approached all this with the wrong attitude and just strengthened their mother's resolve, they could see it now. And now they were even interrupting when things were finally getting interesting. Bloody hell they had been stupid.

"'**You're too young, you're not in the Order'," said Fred in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's.**

Ginny snorted. She knew for a fact that they had practised very hard to be able to achieve that.

**"Harry's not even of age!"**

Many people in the room darkened at the reminder. It was true, and it was also horrible. Harry had gone through more than they could ever imagine, just these first chapters had showed that, and no one felt like even thinking about what was yet to come, least of all Harry himself. But there was a slight ray of hope in all this. Maybe they really could change the way the war was shaping up to be and save themselves and their family with these books.

Sirius in particular looked very crestfallen. It might be true that Harry was still very young, but that didn't change the fact that he -the kid's godfather for Merlin's sake! - hadn't been there even for that time. His heart was breaking when he watched Harry tense up when he was touched, or just expected the fact that his wishes were going to be overlooked. He was again reminded of how much he had missed, and at the same time it had resulted in Harry having missed out on it too. By landing himself in Azkaban he had robbed Harry the chance of even a remotely normal childhood.

"**It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly, "that's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand -"**

Sirius ignored the very chastising look Molly was sending him. Contrary to popular belief it seemed like, he did not like arguing with Molly about things, especially not about Harry. Partly because of the fact that Harry was his responsibility and it stung when everyone doubted his abilities to see what was best for _his _godson.

"**It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply.**

The room was silent, eyes flickering between the two very likely explosions. Even though it was starting to look like Molly would be the one to blow first, like usual.

Harry was pretty tense too. He remembered everything from this night very clearly, but he had tried very hard to dismiss everything said from his mind. He felt ashamed of himself for ever doubting Sirius, but the things Mrs. Weasley said just hit something inside him. Spot on.

**The expression on her normally kind face looked dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"**

Molly frowned at her husband. The way she was being described didn't sound very good, but she didn't remember being that obvious. Se had been trying to look calm and composed and then order everyone to bed, but clearly Harry had read the situation in a different light.

"**Which bit?" Sirius asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight.**

Albus also frowned, but at the book this time. He himself had not been present, and you never do quite get the unedited version afterwards. He was becoming more aware of how Sirius' 'imprisonment' was affecting the man, but he hadn't quite realized his orders had divided the Order in such a radical way. Maybe it was time for a meeting, for everyone.

Moody again studied the dark haired man sitting opposite him. He was rigid in his seat, and had that far away look in his eyes that told the ex-auror that Sirius Black was not listening to anything but his own thoughts at the moment. He was most probably reliving that night from his own perspective, Moody grumbled to himself. It didn't look like anything good came from that night. He also studied Molly Weasley, and wasn't sure what to make of the expression on her face. Hmm.

"**The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know," said Mrs. Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George's heads swivelled from Sirius to Mrs. Weasley as though they were following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned Butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius.**

The room was as tense as it had been that night. Only the people who hadn't been present were looking around questioningly. Snape in particular was watching the scene play out in front of him, and he could practically see Molly riling herself up again. He hated to admit it, but Black had always acted a bit more Slytherin in situations like this, protecting himself. A bit like the Potter brat he suddenly realized, but that was going too far even in his own mind so he quickly dispelled everything from his head and focused his sneer on the book.

"**I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly," said Sirius. "But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back" (again, there was a collective shudder around the table at the name) "he has more right than most to -"**

And probably _needs _to know more than most too, Sirius thought bitterly. He would do anything to protect his godson, and he wondered how he hadn't seen before how their secrecy had just made that harder. He did not want to tell Harry about the prophecy but if it had to be done… could he do it?

"**He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Mrs. Weasley. "He's only fifteen and -"**

"**And he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius, "and more than some."**

"**No one's denying what he's done!" said Mrs. Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. "But he's still -"**

"**He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently.**

"**He's not an adult either!" said Mrs. Weasley, the colour rising in her cheeks. "He's not James, Sirius!"**

The room was silent, and Sirius and Molly weren't the only ones avoiding looking at each other. Harry flinched violently at that, remembering the night and the look on Sirius face. First he had thought it was disappointment, but Harry didn't like to think that and quickly tried to school his face into a blank mask.

Sirius was the only one who had noticed Harry's flinch, sitting so close and all, and was now staring down at his godson horrified. Harry couldn't think that, surely no! Sirius had never been confused about anything like that. All he saw when he looked at Harry was the small baby boy who had loved playing with Padfoot and was a master at hiding himself at bath time. Harry had caused many panic attacks in that household when he suddenly just disappeared. His most ingenious hiding spot had been the bathtub itself, no one had thought to look for him there. It had been a fulltime job to keep an eye on Harry after he learned to walk. He had been such a happy baby, where had that gone?

"Harry," Sirius tried softly, tightening his hold on Harry's shoulder. Slowly Harry looked up with great reluctance in his eyes.

"Harry, I know exactly who you are." Harry tried to avert his eyes back down, but Sirius placed a finger under his chin to keep their gazes locked.

He needed Harry to understand.

"James was my best friend, true, but you are my godson! Family. And I could never confuse you with anyone else, you may look like James but you don't seem to realize how much you are like Lily too. And the fact that everyone compares you to them doesn't mean that you're not your own person! I love you just as you are," Sirius was whispering in Harry's ear, but Remus couldn't help but overhear. He watched sadly as Harry glanced doubtfully at Sirius before dropping his eyes again. But before Sirius could say anything else Harry had leaned his head on his shoulder, hiding his face there.

"I know." The whisper was very faint, but Remus couldn't help but feel the same relief that Sirius undoubtedly did. How long had Harry been carrying around these doubts?

The remaining people in the room looked on quietly, no one seemed to really register that Tonks had stopped reading. Tonks herself was clutching Remus' hand in a silent offer of support and was very relieved when amber eyes met her own.

The twins were also watching the two of them, a surprisingly sombre look on their face. To suddenly realize how insecure Harry was, it was shaping up to be a shock at every turn.

Hermione longed to hug her friend, but Ron held her back. Something in Ron's eyes made her sit still. They were dark with an understanding that she was coming to realize she didn't posses. Ron could be so tactless occasionally, that she had sometimes doubted how much he really understood Harry, but it seemed like he understood more than she thought, and probably more than her too.

"**I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly.**

And Harry believed that now, or at least he didn't doubt himself or Sirius as much as before. There was still work to do, but Sirius was his family and they would get through it.

Molly glanced at Sirius quickly, feeling a bit stupid now. It had been a bad time to bring that up, but when she looked over at the dark haired man she was surprised to see Harry leaning on Sirius so heavily. Oh dear! She hadn't thought of how Harry would react to that! The poor boy probably doesn't know what to think. Molly was halfway up from her seat when she noticed the tight grip Sirius had on Harry's shoulders and the slight movement of his mouth. She saw Harry grin weakly, and resolved herself to apologizing later. She had been out of line with that one.

"**I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"**

"**What's wrong with that?" said Harry.**

Remus shook his head at Tonks who was about to say something. This really wasn't the best moment. He knew that Sirius would never think that, but Remus was afraid of how Harry would take any comments. He apparently already doubted himself. How had they never noticed any of this? They would have to talk to Harry today, before dinner. Merlin, when was it all going to end? Harry and didn't deserve this.

"**What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. "You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!"**

"**Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Sirius, his voice rising.**

Molly and Sirius were avoiding each other's eyes, both of them looking very stone faced. But Arthur could see the mist in his wife's eyes, and the spark of regret. Well, there was not really anything he could do about it now, Molly had been wrong in saying those things.

Tonks looked incredulously at Molly. How could she ever imply that? Sirius worried more about Harry than anyone! If it was up to Sirius, Harry would be tied with a string to his godfather and never leave his sight again.

"**Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and -"**

Snape smirked slightly at those words, but quickly controlled himself before anyone in the room could see it. He was set on keeping out of riots, and unfortunately he would only get jinxed if he voiced any of his thoughts at the moment. But it was with difficulty he stopped himself from standing up and applauding Molly Weasley, who was doing an admirable job of dividing the Order.

"**We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" said Sirius loudly.**

"**Arthur!" said Mrs. Weasley, rounding on her husband. "Arthur, back me up!"**

Arthur sighed heavily, while still being careful that his wife wouldn't notice. His kids were a different matter on the other hand, but thankfully they all managed to control themselves. It was a known fact that you couldn't win a fight in the Weasley household, if you didn't want to the grounded for the rest of the year. Arthur just found himself in the middle of it more often than not.

**Mr. Weasley did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he reply.**

Molly shook her head; she should have realized then that she was alone in this. Whenever her husband stalled like that when asked for something, meant that she wasn't going to like the answer.

"**Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that he is staying at Headquarters."**

"**Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"**

"**Personally," said Lupin quietly, looking away from Sirius at last, as Mrs. Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally,**

Remus avoided looking at Molly, but he didn't need to have bothered. Mrs. Weasley was too busy trying to shoot apologetic looks at Sirius to pay attention to him. He wanted to tell her not to, because it was a sure way to just make Sirius angrier, or at the least more frustrated and then he would say something rash and etc. it would only lead to a new fight. But he held his tongue for the moment, but only because Sirius seemed too preoccupied with Harry to even notice Molly. Hopefully it would stay that way too.

"**I think it better that Harry gets the facts - not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture - from us, rather than a garbled version from… others."**

Moody nodded, a gesture that was not missed by the teenagers in the room. Fred and George in particular were eyeing Moody with an unreadable expression. Would the old auror be their source of information? Somehow they doubted it would be that easy, they would have to prove themselves first.

Harry was also watching Moody, and he was sure the man was watching them too. He would have to think about this, and probably not mention it just yet.

**His expression was mild, but Harry felt sure Lupin, at least, knew that some Extendable Ears had survived Mrs. Weasley's purge.**

Molly swivelled in her seat to glare at Remus, who had just groaned rather loudly whilst rubbing his hands over his face. Harry would have liked to laugh, but Sirius had poked him in the side as some kind of warning. Oh yeah, Sirius had a pair right now. They would have to be careful now that Sirius had a way to listen in on them. He would have to warn everyone else too, not that he thought the twins would object. He would just have to slip who Sirius really was and that would be it. Sirius would never have any peace anymore, maybe he could use this as blackmail over Remus, he would not like the idea of the twins pestering him all the time.

"Remus! Is this true?" Molly had obviously forgotten all her earlier sadness and was now glaring at the twins again. They just rolled their eyes.

"Not exactly Molly…" he trailed off when Molly turned to glare at him again, and he could feel Tonks shaking from suppressed laughter besides him.

"Well?" Molly demanded after a beat of silence and Remus winced slightly.

"I didn't know about the… Extendable Ears? But I did suspect that they had some way of listening in. They wouldn't be kids otherwise," he tried to defend himself feebly but they could all see that it was no use. Molly was not happy.

But Dumbledore interrupted them this time.

"Molly dear, I know you are upset, but this is not the time. I'm rather curious myself of this particular event and would like for us to carry on reading," the slight reminder made Mrs. Weasley flush, and glance at Sirius again, and reluctantly sat back down so Tonks could carry on reading.

"**Well," said Mrs. Weasley, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, "well… I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much**

A lot of people in the room frowned over at Dumbledore, or in Sirius' and surprisingly Ron's case it was more like glaring. Harry refused to look up.

It would be a miracle if they would be able to get very far with the book today. They had read two chapters and the room was practically vibrating with suppressed emotions. Sometimes it was very dangerous to have many very upset wizards and witches in an enclosed space. There was no guarantee that nothing would sooner or later explode, especially considering the many fiery tempers in the room.

Snape could feel his neck prickling and glanced around himself warily. He had first thought this would be a very satisfying experience, and it had started very promising. But he wasn't stupid, and he could now sense the brooding chaos, he was a Slytherin after all, and he knew nothing good could come out of Molly Weasley exploding, and seeing the very dark looks on some of the people's faces told Snape that her anger or righteousness wouldn't be received very well. And for once he wouldn't blame the mutt. He had to admit that the fact that surprised him the most, even though he would never show that, was the very odd look on Arthur Weasley's face. It was a cross between frustration and resignation, but he couldn't be too sure what the man was thinking. It would be a risk to try and use Legilimency right at this particular moment, a risk he wasn't willing to take.

**, and speaking as someone who has Harry's best interests at heart -"**

Tonks had noticed how tense Remus' had gotten, and glanced over, worried that the chapter was affecting him more than she had first thought. She of course remembered that night perfectly well, but she had been quite quick to expel it from her mind afterwards, and focus more on the mission gone right and the particularly serious Order meeting that had taken place. She hadn't wanted to dwell on the guilt and sorrow that consumed her when she thought of Sirius in Azkaban. And it was even worse now. She may not know Harry very well yet, but when you looked at Harry and Sirius together now, it was so obvious they shared a bond, and that they fully depended on each other- or they were at least learning to. And there was this coldness in her chest when she thought about the twelve years missed between them. Neither one of them had deserved it.

She had thought he was guilty. Not at first, no of course not! But she was an auror, and there had been evidence and witnesses. And that bloody finger! She felt like throwing up and hugging her long lost cousin tightly –not at the same time of course, but she wasn't about to move and disturb Harry and Sirius.

"**He's not your son," said Sirius quietly. **

Ron glanced over at his best mate, and for a moment he wondered what it would have been like if Harry had lived with them. Would he have been jealous of Harry again, would he have ruined their friendship for good, or would they have been real brothers? And then he shook his head forcefully. He wouldn't make the same mistake again as last year. He knew Harry didn't like the attention and would trade places with anyone if he could. Ron wasn't jealous anymore; he had grown up a bit since then. He understood things a bit better. And whether Harry lived with them or not, he was Ron's brother! Just not in blood. They had done everything together!

"**He's as good as," said Mrs. Weasley fiercely. "Who else has he got?"**

"**He's got me!"**

Sirius felt the hand fisting his cloak tighten momentarily before slipping away, but before Harry could wiggle out of his grip again, Sirius grabbed a hold of his godson's chin and forced him to meet his eyes.

"Remember what I said Harry? Don't shut me out," he spoke quietly, but he was quite sure that at least Remus had heard him.

Harry looked reluctant for a moment, before glancing away and then back at Sirius. His lips tightened slightly, and his eye lids were squeezed shut, but before Sirius could say anything Harry had slipped back under his arm and pressed his face into his godfather's cloak in a very rare show of vulnerability.

Sirius exchanged a troubled look with Remus, who had been listening in on them, but when the werewolf only shrugged, Sirius tightened his hold around Harry and kissed the messy black locks tickling his neck.

"**Yes," said Mrs. Weasley, her lip curling, "the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?"**

Many people in the room sucked in a sharp breath, even the ones who had been there that night.

Sirius' hold on Harry didn't shift, if anything it only tightened more and he was very resolutely staring down at Harry and not meeting anyone's eyes, least of all Molly Weasley.

Moody was looking rather incredulous, and Dumbledore was frowning very deeply. Arthur had not let go of his wife, but he was also sitting very quiet and stoic in his seat, not really responding to Molly's quiet natter.

Remus was keeping a firm stare on Sirius, but he wouldn't turn around to look at him. He had seen how hurt Sirius had been, but of course his friend had masked it with anger. It had been a horrible thing to say, and if Sirius wasn't so wrapped around Harry at the moment he would have hugged his friend, just to remind him that they didn't blame him. It wasn't his fault that he had been chucked there, it wasn't his fault that Harry had to grow up the way he did. It had all gone so horribly wrong, but they were now given the opportunity to fix it and they wouldn't throw that away.

Harry wasn't sure how to react. Unfairness was nothing new to him, and Sirius' imprisonment was as unfair as life could be. He was angry of course, but he wasn't sure who he was angry at. Dumbledore? Wormtail? Mrs. Weasley?

**Sirius started to rise from his chair.**

"**Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Lupin sharply. "Sirius, sit down."**

Molly was ready to burst! She wanted to apologize to Sirius and everyone else, but no one would meet her eyes. Even her husband, her dear Arthur, wasn't responding to her! She knew she wasn't the only one that cared about Harry, but couldn't they see that this was dangerous information! The kids shouldn't have to think of things like that! There was a war raging on outside these walls, and she could only pray her family would come out of it unscathed.

"Sirius…" she trailed off uncertainly when stormy grey eyes snapped up. The raw emotion in them shocked her deeply, the hurt shining through the hard armour Sirius had around his feelings crumpling just for a second. She had only noticed the anger that day, and had responded in kind, but now she could see the effects of her words and there was nothing she could say that would portray how much she regretted them. And it was all months too late anyway.

"Sirius, I can't say how sorry I am. I had no right to say those things… and I know it's not true. I was horrible." A small sob escaped her throat, but Sirius only blinked. "You didn't deserve Azkaban, you're a good man," she glanced down at Harry, "and a great godfather." The shock on Sirius' face didn't stay there for long, but Molly was greatly relieved to see the slight softening in his eyes. He didn't say anything but the slight nod of his head indicated that he understood. It wasn't all good yet, but Molly would make sure that it would be before long. That man needed a mother almost as much as Harry did. And they were both looking far too skinny and pale to be healthy… maybe it was a bad thing keeping Sirius locked up. It was Dumbledore's orders but seeing how it affected the usually jovial man…

Remus shared a shocked glance with Tonks and Arthur. They all knew how irresponsible Molly thought Sirius was, and for her to say that she thought Sirius was a good godfather for Harry was a very big thing. She considered Harry her seventh son, and was equally as protective over him as her own children but she seemed to have finally recognized that Sirius cared for Harry like a son too, and would never let anything harm him if he couldn't help it.

"You're the best godfather there is," Harry's whisper was muffled by Sirius cloak, but he heard it, and that if anything helped him calm down again. His biggest fear was disappointing Harry, he couldn't imagine what he would do if Harry hated him. He wasn't able to have Harry this close very often, partly because Sirius wasn't sure how to, and partly because every time he hugged Harry, the teen would humour him for a moment but then back away stiffly. He had worried over Harry's aversion of touching, but he now realized he just didn't know how. The way Harry was clinging to his cloak showed a deep desperation for contact, any positive contact from an adult, and he cursed the Dursley's in his head, they would pay for what they did to his godson! But for now the only thing he could do was to let Harry lean on him and bring him just a bit closer. He would do anything for that kid, but now wasn't the time.

**Mrs. Weasley's lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white.**

It wasn't white now, but it was clear to everyone else in the room that he was very much upset about that night, but no one said anything.

"**I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Lupin continued, "he's old enough to decide for himself."**

Harry nodded to himself and Sirius snorted weakly. No one else noticed because Harry was still pressing his face into Sirius robes. He realized it was calming his godfather, and it was oddly comforting to have Sirius there.

"**I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once. **

Hermione smiled over at Ron who grinned back. Harry never could stay out of the loop for long. Their friend was as curious as it got, and as often as it got him in trouble, it also saved his life. They wouldn't change him in any way.

**He did not look at Mrs. Weasley. He had been touched by what she had said about his being as good as a son, but he was also impatient with her mollycoddling. Sirius was right, he was not a child.**

Molly looked fondly over at the boy, her own tears finally slowing down, and was about to reassure him that she knew he wasn't a child but some things were just too important and dangerous. But if she had been expecting Harry to say anything, or even look up at her, she was wrong. Harry didn't even move to acknowledge the other people in the room.

Sirius gazed down at the black unruly head, incredibly sad but at the same time fiercely proud. He realized Harry had seen and heard too much to ever be considered a child again, and he had his doubts about Harry ever really being a child. But now looking at the young man besides him, who was so strong despite everything, he couldn't help but feel so proud.

Lily and James would have been so proud of him too, and his time with them was probably the only proper childhood he had. Sirius was battling with his emotions, trying to break down the sadness, focus on the pride and care of Harry, and it was hard but he did stop the tears threatening to spill down his cheeks.

"**Very well," said Mrs. Weasley, her voice cracking. "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred - George – I want you out of this kitchen, now."**

Tonks snorted before she could stop herself. The noise that had caused. She couldn't believe that Molly had ever really thought they would go, even Ginny. And what would it have helped? They still would have told each other everything in the end, or that's at least what she would have done in a situation like that.

Ginny huffed quietly at the reminder. She had been the only one forced to leave, no matter that she had heard everything later on from Hermione, but the feeling of being singled out just because she was _a year younger!_ She had been enraged, and she hated being thought of as the baby sister. She could never do anything without any of her brothers butting in! They were just so 'protective' of her, and after she got over the mad urge to hex them she could appreciate that they worried and cared for her, but seriously!

Arthur shook his head chuckling softly. He had been prepared for an explosion at that time, and what he got was not far off the mark.

Even Snape winced at that. He could just imagine the three _Weasley's _and Potter's lackeys at that particular moment, and how they would react to that. _Be left out, ushered away? _

The horror.

Maybe he should count himself lucky to not have been there after all.

**There was instant uproar.**

"**We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together.**

The twins nodded to themselves, oblivious to Ginny who was still fuming between them. Not that it had been very informative after all. They had known pretty much everything that had been 'revealed' that night, but it was good to be sure in any case.

"**If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" shouted Ron.**

Hermione rolled her eyes when Ron straightened up in his seat a bit. It wouldn't have really mattered anyway, Harry would have told them afterwards. But yes, she had also wanted to stay there, she just hadn't been as vocal about it.

"**Mum, I want to hear!" wailed Ginny.**

Now Ginny reddened slightly. Merlin, she sounded like such a baby!

"**NO!" shouted Mrs. Weasley, standing up, her eyes over bright. "I absolutely forbid -"**

Mrs. Weasley sighed frustrated to herself. Whatever she did to protect her children, she was always seen as the bad guy. But why didn't anyone understand that they shouldn't know these things, they shouldn't have to worry about it! If they didn't know, the chances were that much bigger of their survival, at least in her mind. She wouldn't let her family die!

"**Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," said Mr. Weasley wearily. "They are of age."**

"**They're still at school."**

Fred and George eyed each other. They had been planning for some while now, but they hadn't seriously considered it before that one faithful Quidditch match. They had seen how much power that toad had harnessed and were honestly petrified of what was going to happen, to them and to Hogwarts. The school had changed and they had no desire to remain there as long as she was there, they could use their time better in the real world. But they did realize that this was something that would have to be planned and plotted and seriously thought through. Because once they left, there was no coming back.

"**But they're legally adults now," said Mr. Weasley, in the same tired voice.**

**Mrs. Weasley was now scarlet in the face.**

Molly flushed at that description, resembling herself from that night more and more. The other people in the room inched away slightly, not knowing what to expect.

"**I - oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron -"**

Ron tried to control his face, but he was still quite certain his grin was a bit too smug. Hermione pinched him on the arm discretely and he barely stopped from yelping.

"What did I do?" he asked in a whisper, after he checked around the room making certain no one had noticed his less than manly flinch.

"We can't give them more reason to be suspicious of us! You grinning like a complete fool would have caught someone's attention. Do you want them to start asking questions?" she demanded sharply, but still managing to be miraculously quiet so no one noticed them.

"No but- okay, okay! I'll be good!" Hermione had raised her hand threateningly again and he was quick to back down. And if he wasn't sure that they had been very quiet, he could have sworn he could see Harry's shoulders shaking in laughter.

"**Harry'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!" said Ron hotly. "Won't - won't you?" he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's eyes.**

**For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn't tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it.**

Harry could feel the two pairs of narrowed eyes on his back, and slowly turned to face them with a sheepish grin, detangling himself from Sirius' hold. His godfather didn't protest when Harry drew back but his brow did furrow a bit before smoothing again.

"Guys, don't look at me like that! It was just a second I swear; I would have told you everything!" Ron was only mock glaring anymore more, but Hermione was very much upset about this new revelation.

"I can't believe you even considered withholding information! That's like me finding a book with pages missing! I thought you told us _everything_, or at least important stuff, like the dreams and the voices-" she suddenly faltered under the very intense gazes of every adult in the room, Sirius and Remus and Moody in particular. "-and it doesn't really matter, so Tonks?" she finished lamely, her cheeks blushing a delicate pink.

Ron was snickering and Harry had a very strong urge to smack his own forehead, but restrained himself under the stern eyes of Sirius.

"Voices?" The strains of the chapter were clear on his godfathers face, and now even something like this.

"It's a pretty long story, and we really should continue reading…" Grey eyes narrowed. "I'll tell you later?" Harry tried hesitantly.

"You better."

**But the nasty impulse vanished as they looked at each other.**

"See? I told you." Ron grinned and even Hermione smiled slightly, but her cheeks were still a bit flushed and she was shooting nervous glances around the room. The twins were snickering quietly but Ginny was paying them no mind. What voices were they talking about?

"**Course I will," Harry said.**

**Ron and Hermione beamed.**

"**Fine!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "Fine! Ginny - BED!"**

Ginny huffed once again, earlier thoughts forgotten for the moment.

**Ginny did not go quietly. They could hear her raging and storming at her mother all the way up the stairs, and when she reached the hall Mrs. Blacks ear-splitting shrieks were added to the din.**

The one and only time she had been glad hat blasted portrait even existed. Her mother had been very near just blasting the thing from the wall in her hurry to get 'her precious little baby girl' to bed. Fortunately, or unfortunately –it depended on how you looked at it, Remus had come hurrying just that moment and silenced the horrid portrait and led them upstairs bidding Ginny goodnight, with a slight wink before disappearing downstairs again. Sometimes it was hard to read that man.

**Lupin hurried off to the portrait to restore calm. It was only after he had returned, closing the kitchen door behind him and taking his seat at the table again, that Sirius spoke.**

"**Okay, Harry… what do you want to know?"**

Molly glared at the dark haired man once again. She couldn't stop them from giving information but to just volunteer to tell them anything they wanted? That was going too far!

But she didn't say anything, the look in Sirius' eyes still etched into her memory, blinking at her blankly.

**Harry took a deep breath and asked the question that had obsessed him for the last month.**

"**Where's Voldemort?" he said, ignoring the renewed shudders and winces at the name. "What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the Muggle news, and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything."**

The Order members exchanged very covert looks, careful of not showing any outward emotions. It had been somewhat of a relief that the summer had been so calm, even though it had been alarmingly still in some ways. They had known Voldemort was alive and on the move but they didn't know what he was doing, planning or even where he was. It was very tiring to glance over your shoulder wherever you went, because you never could be too careful and none of them wanted to die because of a moment of lapsed attention. Both sides of this war were hiding, biding their time, and this made it even more nerve-wracking that it maybe would have any casualties saved were a victory in their eyes.

"**That's because there haven't been any funny deaths yet," said Sirius, "not as far as we know, anyway… and we know quite a lot."**

"**More than he thinks we do, anyway," said Lupin.**

Harry thought they knew quite a lot more than the adults thought too. Nothing they had revealed that night had been much of a surprise or new information, except for the weapon. They still didn't know what that was, and he was terrified he would be proven right and it was him. He could be the weapon. Sirius had reassured him otherwise, but there had been something there that had made Harry doubt him. There was a _small_ chance he wasn't the weapon, but it definitely involved him. Because when didn't it involve him? Even though Ginny had assured him he hadn't been possessed, and he couldn't have attacked Mr. Weasley… but still, something wasn't right.

"**How come he's stopped killing people?" Harry asked. He knew Voldemort had murdered more than once in the last year alone.**

"**Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself," said Sirius. "It would be dangerous for him. His comeback didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, you see. He messed it up."**

"**Or rather, you messed it up for him," said Lupin, with a satisfied smile.**

"**How?" Harry asked, perplexed.**

They all turned their incredulous stares towards Harry, who was blushing at all the sudden attention.

"How?" Tonks repeated disbelievingly, shaking her head to herself as to get rid of some fog. This boy had accomplished the impossible several times but he still didn't realize it himself. It was slightly ridiculous and somehow very endearing. Remus, who was a bit more used to Harry's obliviousness about himself, chuckled at Tonks before shaking his head mockingly. She turned pink for a moment, closing her mouth that had been hanging open in shock, but as usual she got over it quickly, her hair turning electric blue a moment later.

Dumbledore was studying the dark haired boy very closely, still being careful of eye contact of course, but this was the first time he noticed how tired the boy looked. Defeated almost, but still that wasn't the right word.

Hermione and Ron shook their heads fondly, Ron thudding a heavy hand against Harry's back.

"You can be so dense sometimes mate," he snorted but quickly turned sombre at the scandalized look on his mother's face. Right, not the time for jokes then. But Harry seemed to chuckle, so it couldn't have been that bad, not even Hermione had reproached him for it. His mother really had to realize soon that Harry didn't want pity, he didn't want anything. He just needed them to be there.

Our loved Potion's master was feeling a little blank. _How? _Bloody brat couldn't even pretend to be stuck up? Snape would have thought the boy would demand attention over the fact, whine and complain if they didn't shower him in praise or pity of course, fawning over his wild stories of that night. But the boy didn't even realize he had probably saved them all again. Without knowing Voldemort was back, Severus wouldn't have had time to prepare his shields and a likely story to his defence, and Dumbledore wouldn't have had time to alert the Order, and they wouldn't have discovered the death eater until it was too late.

"**You weren't supposed to survive!" said Sirius. "Nobody apart from his Death Eaters was supposed to know he'd come back. But you survived to bear witness."**

Thank Merlin for that! No one in the room wanted to think about what would have happened if Harry had died. Hermione could feel her eyes burning just at the thought of Harry's body coming back from the maze like Cedric's had done.

Sirius was this close to cracking under all the emotions the chapter had brought forward, the only thing holding him there was the sight of a healthy and alive Harry trying to quietly reassure a very upset looking Hermione.

The twins had been very quiet through out the chapter, because they were pretty much for the first time ever speechless. They couldn't imagine what life would be like without Harry, and they didn't want to. So instead they wrapped one arm each around their baby sister and hoped that the chapter would be over sooner rather than later.

Arthur watched his family somewhat sadly. He couldn't imagine their lives without Harry either, and it was very disconcerting to even try. Harry had impacted with their lives and made such an impression time after time, there was just no way they would ever abandon him. He was in desperate need of a family, and they already thought of him as a son, brother… And even though Harry had his family with Sirius and Remus, it could never hurt to add some more people around the table, Merlin knew the three of them all needed some sturdy home cooked meals.

"**And the very last person he wanted alerted to his return the moment he got back was Dumbledore," said Lupin. "And you made sure Dumbledore knew at once."**

"**How has that helped?" Harry asked.**

"**Are you kidding?" said Bill incredulously. "Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!"**

Dumbledore only smiled slightly when everyone's eyes flickered to him.

"Mr. Weasley was only exaggerating, I'm afraid. Voldemort is afraid of a great number of things." Many people scoffed at this, particularly the younger persons in the room. It was hard to imagine the feared Dark Lord being scared. But that wasn't a really good thing for them, now was it?

"**Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned," said Sirius.**

Yes, and around then was when his time with his godson ran out. After that he had been locked in here. Well… if you didn't count that one trip to the train station, he certainly didn't. He was slowly going barmy in here –or not so slowly, it depended on whom you asked.

But his misery didn't change the fact that he had abandoned Harry when he needed him, and hadn't made sure that he was fine. He should have realized how Harry would feel after a month with those monsters. Luckily that was the last time Harry would ever have to endure it, Sirius would make sure of that.

"**So, what's the Order been doing?" said Harry, looking around at them all.**

"**Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans," said Sirius.**

"**How d'you know what his plans are?" Harry asked quickly.**

"**Dumbledore's got a shrewd idea,' said Lupin, "and Dumbledore's shrewd ideas normally turn out to be accurate."**

Dumbledore sighed rather heavily, sometimes he whished that there would be more doubt about his decisions. He was not always right, and he feared that it would some day go incredibly wrong because no one had pointed out to him one mistake or another. He was only human after all, and he had a lot of regrets resting on his shoulders right, one in particular and the result could be seen in this very room.

"**So what does Dumbledore reckon he's planning?"**

"**Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again," said Sirius. "In the old days he had huge numbers at his command: witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great variety of Dark creatures. You heard him planning to recruit the giants;**

The Order members watched the teens for any signs of recognition, and some of them weren't even surprised when Harry glanced at Hermione and Ron, exchanging knowing looks. They undoubtedly knew that story then. But the others seemed to be more in the dark about the whole thing, the twins and Ginny didn't seem to know anything about it.

**well, they'll be just one of the groups he's after. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen Death Eaters."**

"**So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?"**

"**We're doing our best," said Lupin.**

"**How?"**

"**Well, the main thing is to try and convince as many people as possible that You-Know-Who really has returned, to put them on their guard," said Bill.**

"**It's proving tricky, though."**

"**Why?"**

"**Because of the Ministry's attitude," said Tonks. "You saw Cornelius Fudge after You-Know- Who came back, Harry. Well, he hasn't shifted his position at all. He's absolutely refusing to believe it's happened."**

The wounds on the back of his hand tingled, and Harry fought down the urge to scratch at the offending appendage. It would only upset the scabs and make it bleed again, and that was the last thing he bloody needed at the moment.

"**But why?" said Harry desperately. "Why's he being so stupid? If Dumbledore -"**

"**Ah, well, you've put your finger on the problem," said Mr. Weasley with a wry smile. "Dumbledore."**

"**Fudge is frightened of him, you see," said Tonks sadly.**

"**Frightened of Dumbledore?" said Harry incredulously.**

"Many people are Harry. That kind of power is very intimidating, even if he doesn't use it for dark stuff," Sirius whispered to Harry, not wanting to upset anyone in the room, or let Dumbledore over hear them. Harry frowned at him, but nodded thoughtfully after glancing at the headmaster quickly.

"**Frightened of what he's up to," said Mr. Weasley. "Fudge thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks Dumbledore wants to be Minister for Magic."**

"**But Dumbledore doesn't want -"**

"**Of course he doesn't," said Mr. Weasley. "He's never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted him to take it when Millicent Bagnold retired. Fudge came to power instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support Dumbledore had, even though Dumbledore never applied for the job. Deep down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much cleverer than he is **

"Well that isn't very hard now is it? Anyone who can tie their own shoe laces is smarter than that idiot!" Fred laughed, ignoring the reprimanding look his mother sent him.

**- a much more powerful wizard, and in the early days of his Ministry he was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice," said Lupin. "But it seems he's become fond of power, and much more confident. He loves being Minister for Magic and he's managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Dumbledore's simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it."**

"**How can he think that?" said Harry angrily. "How can he think Dumbledore would just make it all up - that I'd make it all up?"**

Harry had never been very fond of lying, he preferred telling the truth, but that didn't change the fact that he was maybe better at it than most would think. Living with the Dursley's had at least taught him that particular skill, it had been necessary to be a good liar in that house.

"**Because accepting that Voldemort's back would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years," said Sirius bitterly. "Fudge just can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself Dumbledore's lying to destabilize him."**

"**You see the problem," said Lupin. "While the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort it's hard to convince people he's back, especially as they really don't want to believe it in the first place. What's more, the Ministry's leaning heavily on the Daily Prophet not to report any of what they're calling Dumbledore's rumour- mongering, so most of the wizarding community are completely unaware**

That was probably the wrong thing to say. People weren't unaware, they just weren't informed properly. Everyone in the wizarding world had read an article about Dumbledore and The-Boy-Who-Lived telling lies and causing havoc, no one could have missed it. So people were aware something had happened, they just didn't know what.

**any things happened, and that makes them easy targets for the Death Eaters if they're using the Imperius Curse."**

"**But you're telling people, aren't you?" said Harry, looking around at Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Bill, Mundungus, Lupin and Tonks. "You're letting people know he's back?"**

Harry almost scoffed at his own stupidity. Not even his own dorm mate believed him, why would some strangers of the street suddenly want to believe Voldemort was back. It was horrifying to even think it, and people shied away from such things, the last wars consequences' could still be seen in some places and no one wanted to think how far it would go this time.

**They all smiled humourlessly.**

"**Well, as everyone thinks I'm a mad mass-murderer and the Ministry's put a ten thousand Galleon price on my head, I can hardly stroll up the street and start handing out leaflets, can I?" said Sirius restlessly.**

"**And I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community," said Lupin. "It's an occupational hazard of being a werewolf."**

Sirius elbowed Remus lightly, like he always did when the other man got bitter or too pessimistic about it all. It wasn't a reprimand, it was just a reminder that Moony would never be alone, and he should stop whining, he was ruining the mood.

"**Tonks and Arthur would lose their jobs at the Ministry if they started shooting their mouths off," said Sirius, "and it's very important for us to have spies inside the Ministry, because you can bet Voldemort will have them."**

Moody had a couple of people he was keeping an eye on, and he could admit that it was slightly alarming how high ranked individuals were acting off. Voldemort was not saving any resources, that was for sure.

"**We've managed to convince a couple of people, though," said Mr. Weasley, "Tonks here, for one - she's too young to have been in the Order of the Phoenix last time, and having Aurors on our side is a huge advantage - Kingsley Shacklebolt's been a real asset, too; he's in charge of the hunt for Sirius, so he's been feeding the Ministry information that Sirius is in Tibet."**

"I have actually been there so they could maybe even find some leads that would keep them occupied for a longer time." Sirius chuckled to himself, missing the slightly worried look on Harry's face. Any clues or ideas about his godfather's whereabouts were a bad thing to him.

"**But if none of you are putting the news out that Voldemort's back -" Harry began.**

"**Who said none of us are putting the news out?" said Sirius. "Why d'you think Dumbledore's in such trouble?"**

"**What d'you mean?" Harry asked.**

Something bristled in Harry just at the thought of all those lies, and all the people that believed them. He was so fed up with the whispering in the hallways, but what got to him the most was how the people near him reacted. Like Seamus who really was a good friend, always had been. He was like Ron in many ways, always trying to lighten the mood and making jokes. And Seamus acting like the prat he was currently being also conflicted Dean. Not into thinking Harry was lying but how to act around both of them. Sometimes it was hard to have no privacy in the dorms.

Hopefully they would all soon realize what grave danger they were in, and start doing something!

"**They're trying to discredit him," said Lupin. "Didn't you see the Daily Prophet last week? They reported that he'd been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards because he's getting old and losing his grip, but it's not true; he was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemorts return. They've demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot - that's the Wizard High Court - and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too."**

"**But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards," said Bill, grinning.**

There were some chuckles around the room, but to many this was only a reminder off the situation outside this house. There was still no change in the Ministry and that had given Voldemort many months to develop a plan, or an army and to just cause mass destruction in any way he could.

"**It's no laughing matter," said Mr. Weasley sharply. **

She frowned over at her boys before shooting a disapproving scowl Dumbledore's way, who was also smiling. It really was horrible watching such a great wizards and man's name be dragged through the mud.

**"If he carries on defying the Ministry like this he could end up in Azkaban, and the last thing we want is to have Dumbledore locked up. While You-Know-Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to he's going to go cautiously. If Dumbledore's out of the way - well, You-Know-Who will have a clear field."**

There were shudders throughout the room, and many loaded looks betraying the very dread that thought had brought up in the group.

"**But if Voldemort's trying to recruit more Death Eaters it's bound to get out that he's come back, isn't it?" asked Harry desperately. **

Sirius squeezed Harry's arm comfortingly, trying to reassure even though this had all happened months ago. Harry felt it was better not to remind his godfather.

"**Voldemort doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry," said Sirius. "He tricks, jinxes and blackmails them. He's well-practiced at operating in secret. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in. He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment.'**

Moody barely restrained a groan. That was no way of telling these youngsters something as important as this. There was no fact, no steady ground for them to take stand in and it would only make them more confused _and _curious than before. Should he actually move in to the house? Just to keep an eye on these idiots who couldn't decide on one common ground. Merlin it was like dealing with twenty teenagers instead of just five!

"**What's he after apart from followers?" Harry asked swiftly. He thought he saw Sirius and Lupin exchange the most fleeting of looks before Sirius answered. **

Now it was Remus' turn to bite back a groan. Harry noticed entirely too much of the things he wasn't supposed to, they would have to be _very _careful discussing things when he was in the house, there were some things Harry just didn't need to hear.

"**Stuff he can only get by stealth."**

**When Harry continued to look puzzled, Sirius said, "Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time."**

Even though he didn't believe that he was the weapon, Harry still couldn't meet the eyes of his friends that were all staring pointedly at him. He had been avoiding them, yes, but he just couldn't face them. It was hard even now to talk to Mr. Weasley, because all he could see was the bandages. They had maybe gotten him to understand that it wasn't his fault, but how could he not blame himself?

"**When he was powerful before?"**

"**Yes."**

"**Like what kind of weapon?" said Harry. "Something worse than the Avada Kedavra -?"**

Harry glanced over at Hermione and Ron, who both looked just as curious as him about what Sirius had meant to say. Just their luck to finally get to the stuff they wanted to know but to be interrupted.

Snape didn't show it, but he was wishing this chapter to be over as much as anyone else in the room. It had sounded so promising from the start but now it was just too much. He didn't want to hear about any of Voldemort's plans or plots ever again, and all this reading Potters thoughts was giving him a headache.

"**That's enough!"**

The teenagers in the room exchanged rather dark glances. That had certainly not been enough, and had only left them with more questions than answers. They knew it was up to them to find more information, but from where? There had to be some other way than to listen in on the meetings, a way that they could get the right information when they needed it. It was so very frustrating not knowing what was going on but at the same time being terrified for your life.

**Mrs. Weasley spoke from the shadows beside the door. Harry hadn't noticed her return from taking Ginny upstairs. Her arms were crossed and she looked furious.**

As she did now. Molly Weasley was this close to blowing up and giving everyone a piece of her mind on this matter. She had not realized they had told the children quite this much, and counted herself lucky for arriving back in the kitchen just at that moment.

But there seemed to be as much support for her views now as that night, so none. Remus was whispering with Sirius and Tonks was listening in, nodding furiously. Dumbledore was listening to Alastor's vehement mutterings with a thoughtful look on his face. Even Severus was studying the children on the couch, and rather than glaring he looked almost considering but at the same time like he wasn't really seeing what was in front of him.

And the kids were leaning towards each other, Harry saying something so carefully, that she could barely see his lips moving, and the others were all listening closely. The beginnings of a smirk on her sons' faces didn't reassure her at all.

"**I want you in bed, now. All of you," she added, looking around at Fred, George, Ron and Hermione.**

"**You can't boss us -" Fred began.**

"**Watch me," snarled Mrs. Weasley.**

Even the twins didn't say anything to that, it wasn't worth the fight, and they had realized that they had gotten all the information they could get. But that thing that Harry had come up with did sound very promising even if a bit Slytherin. They would just have to test it out at some point in the near future.

**She was trembling slightly as she looked at Sirius. "You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might just as well induct him into the Order straightaway."**

Snape almost snorted, but controlled himself once Black also chuckled. Potter seemed to frown at his godfather, looking almost insulted. The brat. But as always Black had something funny to say and soon the menace was smiling lightly. It was almost too much to take.

"**Why not?" said Harry quickly. "I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight."**

And once again Mrs. Weasley readied herself for a full onslaught of protest and shouting but nothing happened. They didn't even mutter to each other.

"**No."**

**It was not Mrs. Weasley who spoke this time, but Lupin.**

"**The Order is comprised only of overage wizards," he said. "Wizards who have left school,"**

Fred tried very hard not to glance at his brother, because now really wasn't the time for their mother _or _anyone else to catch onto their plans. And with the wonder trio in the room, who knew what could be revealed. But he couldn't help a small grin slipping through, one mirrored on his twins face.

**he added, as Fred and George opened their mouths. "There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you… I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough."**

**Sirius half-shrugged but did not argue. Mrs. Weasley beckoned imperiously to her sons and Hermione. One by one they stood up and Harry, recognizing defeat, followed suit.**

"So melodramatic Harry, I actually think you won that round," Sirius laughed, smiling bigger when Harry joined in.

"We'll see." Harry continued laughing even when his godfather suddenly stopped. It was very rewarding to see the adults in the room puzzle over things they knew and not the other way around for a change. And Sirius was just too easy to wind up some times.

"Well that's the chapter finished, so Remus here you go," Tonks looked very relieved to get rid of the book, and no one in the room really blamed her.

"I'd say one more chapter and then lunch?" Mr. Weasley suggested and was met with many enthusiastic nods, most of them from his own brood.

"Okay, the next chapter is '**The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black'**,"

"Oh joy," Sirius muttered, before grinning at his friend reassuringly


End file.
